TAWvol1inthebeginning legacy format
by Escee
Summary: A Sonic epic based on the SatAM universe, One file. Not very good writing. Old, when I couldn't write anything worth prestige. Chaptered below.


Sonic: Take it All the Way // Volume I: In the Beginning  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
© 1997, 1999, 2001 Brandon, aka Escee "SC" Takeshi.  
Cover Art by Escee, except for the Tails ghost image (created by SEGA for DC),   
the Eggamn image (by SEGA), the Sonic image (from the Japanese Official   
Dreamcast Magazine) and the Sally image (created by Noele Carballo)  
Sonic, Tails, Robotnik, and related characters and indicia, are trademarks of   
SEGA. Other characters such as Princess Sally, Bunnie, and Antoine, are   
trademarks of DiC or Archie Comics. Caero, Ruben, and other related characters   
are works of Escee.   
Sonic: Take it All the Way is a work of Brandon. See http://www.escee.com for   
contact information for Brandon, aka Escee "SC" Takeshi.  
Escee.com and related companies are subsidiaries of JB Computer Technologies   
(http://www.jbcomptech.com) and are owned by Brandon.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The Characters  
  
SONIC - A blue hedgehog with an attitude, who can travel at supersonic speeds   
(break the speed of sound), hence the nickname. Sonic tends to rush into things   
and is impatient. When, he goes into a ball and spins at top speed, his quills   
can cut through most things. Sonic is attracted to Sally, but rarely shows it.   
Sonic's real name is Maurice Takeshi and he is 16 years old.  
TAILS - A Mobian fox, who, at birth, had two tails (hence the nickname). Tails   
can fly by spinning his two tails like a helicopter. Tails adores Sonic, and is   
very talented for his age. He tries to be just like Sonic, but often can not   
come close. Tails' real name is Miles Prower, and he is 10 years old.  
SALLY - Princess Sally Alicia Acorn is a thinker, and she is more likely to plan   
ahead than rush into things like Sonic. She has a few moves up her sleeves and   
can take robots down with her flip back kick. Before Robotnik overthrew her   
father, the king, Sally was heir to the throne. Sally, a chipmunk, is 16 years   
old.  
NICOLE - Nicole is Sally's pocket computer. Nicole has a mind of her own and   
can respond when spoken to. Nicole is a valuable tool in the war against   
Robotnik. Nicole can break codes to unlock areas, download information on   
Robotnik's schemes, and even fire laser attacks on Robotnik's armies!  
BUNNIE - Bunnie Rabbot is a rabbit who had half of her body roboticized by   
Robotnik, and was saved at the last minute by Sonic. Her mind was not   
roboticized, so she keeps her free will, and her robotic appendages are   
super-strong! Bunnie is 14 years old.  
ROTOR - Once known as Joe Sushi, Rotor the walrus has a knack for mechanics and   
electronics. He is a great inventor, and his inventions are good for getting   
through Robotnik's securities. He carries an arsenal of bombs, and these are   
his main weapons. Rotor is 16 years old.  
ANTOINE - Antoine D'coolette, a fox, is a skilled swordsman, and carries his   
sword everywhere. He is easily scared and also has an attraction for Sally, but   
Sally prefers Sonic to him. Antoine is 18 years old.  
CAERO - Caero Chaotic is a strong warrior who befriends Sonic and fights   
alongside him. He may not be the smartest fighter, but he is probably one of   
the strongest. Caero is 15 years old.  
UNCLE CHUCK - Sonic's uncle, Sir Charles Hedgehog, is known as Uncle Chuck. He   
was roboticized[1] by Robotnik during the Great War, but during an experiment by   
Robotnik, gained his free will and free thought and was no longer under   
Robotnik's control. He pretended to still be a slave of Robotnik, and so far,   
Robotnik has bought it. This makes him an excellent spy.  
THE KNOTHOLE FREEDOM FIGHTERS are mainly composed of Sonic, Tails, Sally,   
Bunnie, Rotor, and Antoine.  
ROBOTNIK - Doctor Ivo Robotnik, the evil dictator of Mobius, is Sonic and the   
Freedom Fighter's main enemy. His 200 IQ makes him a genius. His mechanical   
and electrical skills are amazing, and his roboticizer and army of robots are   
always a threat to the Freedom Fighters. He was formerly King Acorn's (Sally's   
father) warlord, Julian Kintobor, but when he overthrew the king and became   
Mobius' dictator, he adapted the name Ivo Robotnik.  
SNIVELY - Robotnik's nephew and sidekick, Snively Kintobor, is power-hungry   
(although it might not seem so), and wants to overthrow Robotnik and rule Mobius   
himself. He also sometimes sympathizes with the Freedom Fighters because he   
hates his uncle. Snively has a needle-shaped nose, and Sonic points this out a   
lot.  
RUBEN - Ruben, a woodpecker, is a member of the Tarahassas Mountain Freedom   
Fighters who, after being rescued by Sally, reveals the location of his group of   
Freedom Fighters. Ruben is 15 years old.  
Other minor characters are Dirk and other Tarahassas Freedom Fighters.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Part 1  
  
The Capture  
  
  
  
  
  
  
1  
Sonic the Hedgehog and his band of Freedom Fighters were approaching the   
outskirts of Sector 102 of the Great Forest. It was in this sector in which the   
Freedom Fighters' Knothole Village, their hideaway and base of operations were.   
The Freedom Fighters fought against the tyranny of the evil Doctor "Eggman" Ivo   
Robotnik, formerly Warlord Julian Kintobor, son of Ivo Kodos, who had overthrown   
the loyal monarch, King Acorn, and named himself dictator of the planet Mobius.   
The king's daughter, Princess Sally Acorn, was the leader of the Freedom   
Fighters.   
Sonic the Hedgehog swiftly gave commands to the Freedom Fighters.   
Sally and Rotor set Nicole, Sally's pocket computer, to scan the area for any of   
Robotnik's robots.  
"Scanning..." said Nicole.  
Beep! Beep! Beep!  
"Swatbots approaching..."  
Bzzap ... Zorch...  
"Correction," said Nicole, "robots approaching, identified, Combots."  
"Oh no", thought Sonic, Combots are Robotnik's new robots much more   
capable than Swatbots!  
Combots bristled through the bushes, but did not see the Freedom   
Fighters.  
The Freedom Fighters scurried behind a fallen log, trying to keep   
hidden.  
No luck; a Combot turned in their direction and hit the log with its   
lasers. The log burst into flames. There were about seven Combots. One Combot   
became stuck in the fire. Its arm melted, and then it exploded. The explosion   
destroyed another Combot. The five remaining Combots began to change their   
military green and brown outer color to a solid gray. Mechanisms shot up from   
each of their heads, then the mechanisms released a glass-like red cover over   
their heads.  
"These mechanisms will allow the Combots to be fire-repellent," said   
Nicole. "They can now plunge through the fire without being harmed."  
"Eek!" said Antoine. "I do not like zee looks of zee theengs!"  
A Combot plunged into the fire and zapped at Bunnie Rabbot, the   
half-rabbit, half-robot. She engaged her shield on her left arm, which was   
robotic, draining the Combot's blast. Another Combot blasted at Antoine, and he   
was hit. He fell to the ground, unconscious. The Combot extended its arm and   
grabbed Antoine. This, and one other Combot, engaged their jet packs and flew   
away to Robotropolis with Antoine, leaving the Freedom Fighters to battle the   
remaining three Combots. Sonic delivered a flaming punch to a Combot's head.   
He performed a Sonic Spin to finish off the robot.  
Sally delivered a flip back kick to a Combot's chest. Nicole sent a   
surge to finish it. The final Combot turned.  
"Surge activated," said the Combot, "loading systems... target   
applied... blast computed... locking.. locking.. locking.. target locked..."  
Sonic got up behind it, ready to spin into it. Suddenly, it turned to   
face him.  
"Target lock deactivated..." it said, "new target: priority one...   
quick targeting..."  
Sonic jumped, then executed his Sonic Spin. At that same moment, a huge   
red blast emerged from the Combot's system. It hit Sonic. A surge of   
electricity trickled through Sonic's body. Electricity shot from Sonic's   
fingertips. Sonic's gloves burned and turned to a crisp black. Sonic dropped   
to the ground. The Freedom Fighters weren't sure if he were alive. Sally   
sidewinder kicked the remaining Combot, and it exploded. Sonic lay on the   
ground, his skin burned and his socks and gloves charred. Sonic didn't move.  
"Antoine is in the hands of Robotnik," said Sally, "and I'm not   
totally sure about Sonic's condition."  
"Sally, I'm detecting an army of Swatbots," said Nicole.  
In seconds, about fifteen Swatbots surrounded the Freedom Fighters and   
Sonic's body. Behind them, were about four Combots and a Neurobot. Behind   
them, was Robotnik himself.  
"SurrenderMMM" said the Neurobot.  
"Resistance is futile," the Swatbots said.  
"Prepare to honor Ivo Robotnik," a Combot said.  
"PrepareMMM" said the Neurobot.  
Robotnik held a laser gun to Sonic's head.  
"Surrender and become my slaves," he said, "or this will be the end of   
Sonic the Hedgehog! HA, Ha, ha, ha, ha!"  
  
2  
  
THE Freedom Fighters surrendered, if for nothing else, then for Sonic's   
life. Sonic's body was locked in a cage and put in Robotnik's hovercraft. The   
Freedom Fighters were handcuffed and locked in a magnetic field so they could   
not escape. The Neurobot, four Combots, and fifteen Swatbots formed a line,   
with Robotnik's ship in the lead. Eventually, they reached Robotropolis,   
Robotnik's renamed capital city and headquarters. Robotnik landed his craft in   
the docking bay and carried Sonic's cage, Sonic still unconscious, leading the   
'robots and Freedom Fighters into the Main Structure. Robotnik led them to the   
prison cells, where the Freedom Fighters were thrown into. Sonic's cage was   
taken to the end of the prison hall and thrown into a special cell.  
  
**********  
  
Later, in Sonic's cell, Sonic's eyelids slowly rose above the   
lowermost part of his eyes. As Sonic regained consciousness, he blinked   
rapidly, then came to and realized he was in a cage. The cage was so small that   
its bars squeezed tightly at Sonic's gut. Sonic quickly initiated a Sonic Spin   
to destroy the cage and came to a kneeling position. Sonic then sprang up.   
There was a huge monitor on one of the walls of the cell. It filled with   
static, then Robotnik's huge face filled it.  
  
  
"Ah, hedgehog," said Robotnik, "I've been waiting for you. The bars   
and walls of this prison cell are made entirely of steel-titanium alloy, so your   
stupid spin maneuver can't cut through it."  
  
"I'll get out of this yet!" said Sonic.  
  
"Ah," cackled Robotnik, "so you think. The following will prove you   
wrong!"  
  
Then, at that moment, the monitor filled with static, and Robotnik's   
face vanished from the screen. In the floor of the cell, a crack appeared, and   
then the two sections of the floor formed by the crack spread away from each   
other. Sonic's legs went into the splits as his feet were spread apart, pulled   
by both platforms. Sonic jumped onto one platform. As the platform got closer   
to the wall, so did Sonic. Then the platform got really close to the wall, and   
the wall pushed at Sonic. Sonic jumped off, and grabbed onto the edge of the   
platform. The platform went into the wall, and Sonic fell off the edge, into a   
steel-titanium circular chamber, with exhaust pipes and air vents. At the top   
of the chamber, there was a digital pad that said "CURRENT DEGREES."  
  
The ceiling of this lower cell (the floor of the original cell) closed   
behind Sonic, until its crack seemed to vanish, creating an airlock. Sonic   
kneeled on the cold, hard surface of this new chamber. Suddenly, the digital   
pad came to life. It read 75 degrees. A voice echoed throughout the chamber,   
"Current temperature: seventy-five degrees."  
  
Suddenly, freezing cold air burst out the exhaust pipes and the air   
vents slammed shut, not to open again.  
  
"Current temperature: fifty-one degrees."  
  
It started to get colder and colder. Sonic covered himself with his   
arms, trying to warm up.  
  
"Current temperature: thirty-two degrees."  
  
The cold air got to Sonic through his arms, sending chills down his   
spine.  
  
"Current temperature: twelve degrees."  
  
Sonic's breathing rate went off key and Sonic gasped for air; his new   
rate in this exceeding cold air was too slow.  
  
"Current temperature: three degrees."  
  
Sonic tried to return his breathing rate to his normal pace, but the   
deathly air wouldn't allow it.  
  
"Current temperature: negative ten degrees."  
  
Sonic's lungs didn't function properly. He got a breath every thirty   
seconds or so.  
  
"Current temperature: negative ninety-eight degrees."  
  
Sonic's lungs froze in the cold air and Sonic couldn't get a single   
breath to enter his lungs.  
  
"Current temperature: negative one hundred fifty-seven."  
  
Sonic's lungs tried to expand, but simply couldn't move. Sonic's   
brain went numb, suffering in trying to get his heart to beat and his lungs to   
expand.  
  
"Current temperature: negative three hundred eighty-nine."  
  
Sonic's lungs collapsed, unable to allow air in. Sonic's heart pumped   
slowly, and his brain requested more blood.  
  
"Current temperature: negative five hundred eleven."  
  
Sonic's heart pumped once, and then stopped. Sonic's brain seemed to   
electrocute itself without air or blood. Sonic's eyelids slowly closed as his   
heart sawed backwards and off key, managing to send a drop of blood through his   
arteries, the blood in his veins frozen in place.  
  
"Current temperature: negative nine hundred fifty-one."  
  
Sonic's brain almost exploded, but resisted and simply shut down.  
  
"Current temperature: Absolute zero," the machine said, then   
short-circuited from the extreme coldness.  
  
Sonic opened his eyes and saw only blue, the frozen air, then saw only   
black, the black of extreme unconsciousness.  
  
  
  
3  
  
Princess Sally pulled herself from the ground. She was in a prison cell   
with Bunnie Rabbot, whose left arm and legs were mechanical, but whose heart and   
mind were still pure, and who had a rabbit right arm, head, and torso. Bunnie   
had been sent to Robotnik's roboticizer, his machine that turned living beings   
into robots, which exist only to serve Robotnik. Sonic had performed a daring   
escape, saving her, but not before she had suffered partial roboticization.   
Bunnie got up.  
  
"Oh mah stars," she said, "don't you think they were a bit harsh,   
sugar Sal?"  
  
"I think," said Sally, "that you should melt these bars with your   
laser."  
  
Bunnie activated her laser.  
  
KAZORCH! BAM!  
  
The beam hit the bars, then reflected off them, bouncing back and   
hitting the back wall. The wall caught fire. Flames surrounded Sally and   
Bunnie.  
  
Nicole, who had fallen out of Sally's pocket when Sally was thrown   
into the cell, and was lying in the center of the fire, said, "Extreme heat.   
System overload."  
"Nicole!" screamed Sally.  
  
Sally dove into the flames after Nicole. Nicole came out of the fire,   
in such a manner that you'd believe Sally had thrown her out, but Sally didn't   
come out of the fire. Bunnie caught Nicole and Nicole's internal systems   
rebooted. Nicole came back to life and she ejected a mechanism which   
extinguished the fire.  
  
Bunnie found Sally charred, lying on the ground of the cell, not   
moving.  
  
"Computations show no pulse," said Nicole, "Sally's brain is almost   
completely shut down."  
  
"Noooooo-----------------" screamed Bunnie.  
  
**********  
  
In the Control Room, within the Main Structure, Antoine was handcuffed   
and placed in a seat before Robotnik. His legs were cuffed to the chair legs   
and the chair was bolted to the ground.  
  
"Where is Knothole?", asked Robotnik, "Where can I find the   
remaining Freedom Fighters?"  
  
"I weel neevar tell!" shouted Antoine.  
  
"I will ask one last time, feeble Freedom Fighter-- Where is   
Knothole?"  
  
"Never!" shouted Antoine.  
  
"You are useless to me, Freedom Fighter," said Robotnik.  
  
"You will get nothing from me, Roboh..."  
  
Robotnik raised a gun and shot Antoine in the forehead. A hole was in   
his forehead where the bullet had entered. The once shouting Antoine was   
suddenly silent. Very silent.  
  
  
  
4  
  
Bunnie pulled Sally from the ground.  
  
"Nicole," said Bunnie, "can y'all cut through these bars?"  
  
"Yes, these bars are made with Zildon, a chemical used to power   
protection shields," said Nicole, "This allows them to be repellent. But lasers   
with LT7 power can penetrate Zildon. Now activating LT7 lasers."  
  
ZZAR! ZZAPP... BLAM!  
  
The Zildon bars exploded, alerting a bunch of Swatbots. Three   
Swatbots surrounded the door to the cell. One Swatbot activate his Vidcam.  
  
"Search for server 'Robotnik'," said the Swatbot, "urgent message   
from PATROLa217@Botserve.com."  
  
Bunnie Blasted robot #217, shattering its components.  
  
"Laser 2-Secon compiled," said another 'bot, "target applied."  
  
HUMMM... ZZARR... BLAM!  
  
The 2-Secon minority laser hit Nicole, who was suddenly surrounded   
by electricity, short circuited and shut down.  
  
Bunnie engaged her pulse cannon and took both robots out in one   
shot.  
  
Crying, Bunnie collapsed in front of the unconscious Sally and the   
short-circuited Nicole.  
**********  
In another cell, Rotor and Tails tried helplessly to open their cell   
door. Suddenly, the door creaked and Tails and Rotor collapsed on the floor in   
front of a Swatbot. He grabbed Tails and Rotor and carried them to the Control   
Room. They were thrown to Robotnik's feet.  
  
"Roboticize the critters immediately!" shouted Robotnik.  
  
Tails and Rotor were taken to the ZIG room, and Antoine, who was   
cuffed to a chair in another corner of the room, almost seemed to cry.  
  
  
  
  
5  
  
Sonic's blood thawed as a thread of heat reached his body. The air vents   
creaked open and heat waves allowed Sonic's brain to be rendered useful. Sonic   
slowly began to realize he wasn't dead.  
  
"How did the vents open?" thought Sonic, "Oh well, at least I've a   
chance to escape. And what happened to the other Freedom Fighters when I was   
neutralized by that 'bot?"  
  
Sonic rose and saw a shadowy figure enter the cell. It looked like   
a mighty creature. It did not allow itself to be seen, because it suddenly   
vanished again.  
  
**********  
  
Bunnie, at the front of the Jail Hall, pushed Nicole into her pocket   
and dragged Sally out of the Jail Hall. She then pushed an air vent away and   
climbed into the wall. Bunnie kneeled and activated her force field which   
surrounded both Bunnie and Sally.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Part 2  
The Climax  
  
  
  
  
  
  
5  
  
With heat restored, Sonic revved into Super Spin mode, forgetting about the   
muscular figure for a moment. He crashed through the metal barrier then aimed   
for the bars, but fell backwards, because, as Robotnik said, his spin could not   
penetrate the bars. Suddenly, red lights flashed on the ceiling and the bars   
slid upwards. Sonic who, when he fell backward, had fallen back through the   
hole he made in the floor with his Sonic Spin, began a Super Peel-Out figure   
eight maneuver (last seen in Sonic CD), allowing him to hover. He began another   
Sonic Spin, flying back through the hole he had originally made and then through   
the entrance to the cell where the bars used to be, unaware of how the door had   
opened, who the muscular figure was, or how the freezer unit had shut off. He   
was also totally unaware of what had happened to Sally, Nicole, or Antoine, or   
of the situation which Rotor and Tails were in, or of the fact that Bunnie was   
in the Main Structure; all of this being unaware to Sonic, who was also in   
terrible danger.  
  
*********  
  
Tails and Rotor were kicked into the ZIG room by one of Robotnik's   
Swatbots. The door slammed shut and locked. Robotnik's voice came in through   
the PA system in the ZIG room, "Hope you like my new roboticization unit!" he   
said.  
Rotor gulped. A block of metal at the front of the room seemed to   
melt, until it formed a giant robot with a Roboticizer in each arm. Holes were   
in the palm of each hand so victims could be sucked into the roboticizer. The   
robot, apparently called ZIG, had infra-red optic units, equipped with laser   
beams. The robot came to life and the holes in its hands became vacuums, trying   
to pull Rotor or Tails in. Suddenly, the Roboticizers flipped over, revealing   
chambers filled with sleeping gas, apparently so if Rotor or Tails were caught,   
they'd be put to sleep so Robotnik could see the whole roboticization process,   
later, in his own Roboticizer. Suddenly, the vacuum caught Tails. Tails   
struggled with all his might to get away, but ZIG pulled him in. Tails was   
sucked into the chamber in ZIG's left arm, and the gas got to him, he was put to   
sleep. The hole in ZIG's left hand closed, so Tails couldn't slide out. Rotor   
pulled out a neutralizer, which he used to shoot ZIG, who short-circuited.   
Rotor threw a bomb at the side wall, which exploded. Rotor scrambled to get   
out. Rotor escaped, but Tails was submerged in the sleeping gas in ZIG's left   
arm.  
  
**********  
  
Bunnie hid Sally deep in the walls of Robotropolis. Bunnie ripped   
the force field generator out of her arm and left it with Sally, protecting her.   
Bunnie pocketed Nicole, secretly memorizing the location of Sally. Bunnie set   
off. Bunnie cautiously rounded corners, with her pulse cannon set to stun.   
Bunnie crept along the walls, watching for any signs of Sonic, Tails, Antoine,   
or Rotor. Bunnie slowly moved along the walls, then came face-to-face with five   
Swatbots and, just what she didn't need, two Combots. Bunnie blasted at a   
Combot. It was stunned by the pulse cannon's stun ray, and after a few seconds,   
it crashed to the floor. Three Swatbots, all at once, blasted at Bunnie with   
their lasers. Bunnie barely got her shield up, deflecting and draining the   
blasts. Bunnie quickly set her pulse cannon for kill and knocked out two   
Swatbots, leaving a Combot and three Swatbots. She blasted at the Combot, but   
her pulse cannon was out of fuel! She was immediately apprehended. The   
Swatbots guarded Bunnie as she was taken to the Control Room. Bunnie was thrown   
to the floor in front of Robotnik.  
  
"Ah, Rabbot!" said Robotnik, "You're just in time! You get to see   
your friend Tails get roboticized, but don't be jealous, you'll get to finish   
the process, too!"  
  
A Roboticizer was rolled into the room by two Swatbots, with the   
sleeping Tails inside it. All of a sudden, Tails woke up. But it was too late.   
Tails pawed helplessly at the glass.  
  
"Engage the machine!" shouted Robotnik with a curled lower lip,   
"Roboticize the fox!"  
  
One Swatbot pulled on the lever and the machine started to hum.  
  
Bunnie was tied up by the Combot so she could do nothing to help   
Tails.  
  
"No!" cried Bunnie.  
  
Slowly, Tails became a robot. A tear fell from Bunnie's eye. All   
that was left of Tails was his right arm and head. The rest of him was robotic,   
even his two tails, which had melted together forming a real mechanical   
helicopter. Tails' right arm became robotic, then his head. The Roboticizer's   
door opened.  
  
"Meet Tails," snarled Robotnik, "The first in my new line of   
defense!"  
  
"No...." sobbed Bunnie, who lowered her head and cried in front of   
Robotnik and his newest robot, Tails.  
  
  
  
6  
  
Sonic ran at top speed toward the exit of the Main Structure. He was so   
fast, that no bot could stop him. He got out of Robotropolis and entered the   
Great Forest. Suddenly, a shadowy figure jumped out of the woods. It was the   
muscular figure again! But the figure came out into the light this time, so   
Sonic could see it.  
  
"I'm Caero Chaotic, but I'm better known as Clash," he said.  
  
Caero thrusted out his hand and Sonic shook it.  
  
"I deactivated the freezer unit and opened your cell," said Caero.  
  
"Thanks, Clash!" said Sonic. "Me and my pals, the Freedom Fighters,   
fight against Robotnik. Do you want to help?"  
  
"No," said Caero, who ran back into the forest, leaving Sonic alone   
again.  
  
Sonic continued into the forest, toward Knothole, unaware that the   
core Freedom Fighters were not there.  
  
**********  
  
Rotor trudged along, with a pack full of bombs, and with his   
neutralizer in hand. But as luck would have it, Rotor bumped into trouble.   
Trouble with a capital 'R.' 'R' for Robotnik himself.  
  
Rotor immediately activated his neutralizer, but Robotnik drained   
the blast by activating his shield. Rotor grabbed a bomb from his pack, threw   
it and fled. Robotnik quickly pressed a button on his robotic left hand,   
changing his uniform to a metal "Eggso-skeleton", protecting him from the   
explosion, but allowing Rotor to escape.  
  
**********  
  
Bunnie, taking advantage of Robotnik's absence, pushed her robotic   
left hand into her left arm and ejected a spinning saw, cutting through the   
ropes she was bound in. She had been left alone. The Swatbots and Combot had   
left, along with Tails the robot. Now she escaped.  
  
She, very slowly and cautiously, made her way back to the vent where   
she had left Sally. She checked her pocket and found that Nicole was now   
running. Bunnie ducked behind some crates and spoke to Nicole. Nicole didn't   
answer, just short-circuited again. "Oh, great!" thought Bunnie, who tucked   
Nicole back into her pocket. Bunnie eventually found her way back to the vent   
and deactivated the force field. Bunnie plugged the force field generator back   
into her system, then held Sally close to her, using the super strength in her   
right arm, carried her one-handed with her left hand. Bunnie turned the force   
field generator on and made her way out of the Main Structure. Bunnie then hid   
in the ruins of an old Acorn building in Robotropolis, planning her next move.  
  
  
  
7  
  
Rotor was still in Robotropolis and he struggled to keep undercover.   
He ducked behind walls in the nick of time often, as robots passed through the   
corridors. He finally made it to The Command Center. Using a wrench, Rotor   
loosened the doorknob from its place, reached through the hole where the   
doorknob used to be, and unlocked the door from the inside. He slipped the   
wrench back in his pocket and entered the Command Center. But he encountered a   
few robots, who presented new trouble. But Rotor ripped the wrench from his   
pocket and hit them on the head with it, knocking them out cold. He quickly   
retrieved the wrench he had thrown and continued on. Finally, there it was.   
The Control Room. He had to make sure Robotnik wasn't in there. If this was a   
mission, he really wanted it to be successful. He'd trash Robotnik's machines   
and go. Or so he thought...  
  
**********  
  
Bunnie was hiding in an old Acorn ruin, when she heard a mechanical   
voice of a Swatbot.  
"Sensors identifying life forms near," said the Swatbot, "Comparing   
DNA structure to that in file. Identified as Bunnie Rabbit, Freedom Fighter."  
Bunnie gasped.  
The Swatbot then said, "All units in Sector B-3, report to Sector C-9   
immediately."  
An army of Swatbots came at Bunnie's hiding spot. Bunnie scurried deeper   
into the ruins of this old Acorn house. The clank of the Swatbots was getting   
closer. Three Swatbots entered the structure and Bunnie burst out of the ruins.   
Using all of her might, she swung at the Swatbots with her robotic left arm,   
knocking them out cold. The other Swatbots aimed their weapons at Bunnie and   
said, "Halt, Freedom Fighter!"  
But Bunnie wouldn't take it. After all that had happened today, she   
wouldn't become a prisoner. Not for herself, really, but for Sally, who was   
still in the ruins. Only Bunnie knew about her, and if Bunnie herself didn't   
take care of Sally, then she'd die unconscious in the ruins of a house of her   
family. So Bunnie prayed that her pulse cannon had recharged, set it for kill,   
and...  
Blam!  
The blast from her pulse cannon destroyed the Swatbots like never   
before. An amazing explosion, almost like a fireworks display, occurred.   
Unfortunately, the explosion was so powerful that it heaved Bunnie clear across   
the ruins and the impact with the ground knocked her out cold.  
  
**********  
  
Sonic decided that with all that had happened today, he needed a rest.   
He would have gone to Knothole, but he was too tired even for that. He crawled   
into a hole in a tree trunk and made his bed there. And he slept...  
  
**********  
  
Rotor peeked through the window. There was no sign of Robotnik, so   
Rotor entered, cautiously. Then, Rotor saw Antoine. He felt for Antoine's   
pulse, but there was nothing. Rotor used a laser beam to cut through all the   
chains and bolts holding Antoine to the chair. Then he bolted for the door. He   
escaped from the Command Center and kept close to the walls in the Main   
Structure. Rotor approached the exit and sighed once he found himself in the   
open of Robotropolis. Rotor slowly moved through the polluted air. Robots of   
all kinds patrolled and Rotor ducked behind factories and piles of trash,   
docking bays and ruins. Rotor then approached the ruins of the Acorn house   
which Bunnie had hidden in. Rotor turned, knowing he was close to the city   
limits, but saw Bunnie there. Rotor pulled her from underneath the fallen   
robots and checked for heartbeat. Suddenly, she woke up.  
  
"Oh mah stars!" she cried, "Rotor! How'd y'all find me?"  
  
"I was on my way out of Robotropolis," said Rotor, "with Antoine. He   
appears to have been shot and it doesn't look good."  
  
"Sally's in these here ruins," said Bunnie, "Her conditions don't   
appear that great either."  
  
Bunnie tried to approach the ruins and dig Sally out, but her robotic   
limbs wouldn't react.  
  
"I can't move!" she cried.  
  
Rotor put his hand to Bunnie's left leg and shook his head. "Your   
robotic limbs are malfunctioned," he said.  
"Well, Rotor," said Bunnie, "Can't y'all fix these legs?"  
  
"In my lab, yes," said Rotor, "Not in the middle of Robotropolis.   
I'll go in for Sally. We've got to get you, Sally, and Antoine back to Knothole   
immediately. And Sonic. Tails, oh, my precious life!"  
  
Rotor crawled into the ruins and dragged out Sally's body, "She's   
burnt badly."  
  
Rotor carried Sally in his arms. How are we supposed to bring Antoine   
and you back to Knothole?" asked Rotor.  
  
Bunnie pulled out Nicole using her natural arm and said, "Can you fix   
her?"  
  
"As a matter of fact," said Rotor, "I've just the device."  
  
Rotor pulled out a gizmo and plugged it into Nicole. Almost   
instantly, Nicole rebooted.  
  
"Nicole," said Bunnie, "can you repair my robotic parts."  
  
Nicole said nothing, just zapped Bunnie, who thrust her right foot   
outwards as her robotic limbs regained functionality, and said, "Rotor, I'll   
carry Antoine. Let's go!"  
  
Bunnie thrust Nicole back into her pocket and carried Antoine in her   
arms. Rotor carried Sally and they all headed for Knothole.  
  
  
  
In Rotor's lab, Nicole was attached to one of Rotor's machines and it   
was plugged into some type of laser device. Sally was put on the operating   
table and Rotor donned on some dark glasses to protect his eyes. He handed a   
pair to Bunnie, who put them on, too. Rotor stepped back and turned on his   
device. "Go, Nicole," he shouted.  
  
"Engaging internal medicine system," said Nicole.  
  
The laser device shot out a blinding white light at Sally. After only   
a second, the light vanished and Rotor shut off his machine. Rotor touched   
Sally's breast area, feeling for any signs that her heart was circulating blood.   
Then, he felt it. It was weak, but it was there. Sally's heart was beating.   
Rotor spoke into the PA system, "Get Doctor Quack here on the double!"  
After only a few seconds, a middle-aged duck burst through the door.   
He was white with a green lab coat and glasses.  
  
"Yes, Rotor?" said Doctor Quack.  
  
"We've a patient for you," said Rotor, motioning toward Sally.  
  
Doctor Quack rushed out of the room and came back with an operating   
table. He pulled Sally onto it and headed for the medical room.  
  
Rotor then put Antoine on the table and engaged his machine again.   
Rotor found a pulse on Antoine, too, after the process, which was a miracle   
considering what had happened to Antoine, and called Doctor Quack back in for   
Antoine. Rotor unplugged Nicole and said to her, "You did great!"  
  
"Thank you, Rotor," said Nicole.  
  
Rotor placed Nicole into his pocket and followed Sally and Doctor   
Quack into the medical room. Doctor Quack then did a series of medical tests.   
Sally then stopped breathing. Doctor Quack got Sally's breathing going again,   
and she slowly got up.  
  
"Where," stuttered Sally, "Where, where? Oh'm I?"  
  
Antoine was quickly placed on the operating table. Doctor Quack   
checked for breathing, and he found it. He then used the stethoscope and found   
a very, very weak pulse. But Antoine had a pulse, and was breathing. Quentin   
pinched Antoine's nose shut. Antoine's mouth opened, as a natural reaction to   
try to get air, and Quack poured some medicine down his throat.  
  
"He should recover soon," said Doctor Quack.  
  
Sally now came to her senses.  
  
"Sally, hon," said Bunnie, "where's sugah Tails?"  
  
"I, I, I," stammered Sally, "I... I don't know!"  
  
"Oh mah stars!" shouted Bunnie.  
  
"And Sonic?!" shouted Sally.  
"They a musta been captured by hoo-ha Robotnik!" declared Bunnie.  
  
Antoine came to.  
  
"Rotor, you are to keep control of Knothole," ordered Sally, "Bunnie,   
Antoine, and I are going to search for Sonic and Tails."  
  
"Yes, ma'am!" replied Rotor.  
  
**********  
  
Sonic pulled himself out of the tree. He pulled on his socks and   
gloves. Then, he pulled on his shoes. The shoes. They had been given to him   
by his Uncle Chuck, known as Sir Charles back then. Back then. Back then...  
  
Sonic ran down the path and bumped into Sally.  
  
"Sally Alicia!"  
  
Sally Alicia (Princess Sally Alicia Acorn) and Maurice "Sonic" Takeshi   
ran to the palace, where Sally and her father, King Acorn, completed all their   
tasks to keep the planet running. But not all liked them. Especially a clan of   
badgers, the clan which Spartacus, one of Maurice "Sonic" Takeshi's close   
friends. But Spartacus did not support his clan's dislike for the House of   
Acorn. But one badger was not enough to stop a whole clan from believing   
something.  
  
As Sally and Maurice entered the palace of Acorn. But, as Sally tried   
to get to the Throne Room, a hand grabbed her and Maurice. The hand belonged to   
Rosie, Sally's mentor, and Julaya, Sally's nanny, accompanied Rosie.  
  
"Get no closer, Alicia!" whispered Julaya, who always used Sally's   
middle name, "Doom is near for Acorn and we must not let it achieve us as well!"  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Sally.  
  
"Yeah," said Maurice, "what's going on?"  
  
"See for yourselves," replied Rosie.  
  
Rosie led Julaya, Sally, and Maurice onto a banister overlooking the   
Throne Room. Julian, son of Ivo, the King's warlord, was in front of King   
Acorn. But he had a new uniform on. And an army of Swatbots were surrounding   
the King, apparently under Julian's control.  
  
"Warlord Julian is no more," announced Julian. "From this point in   
time, I am Ivo Robotnik. And you, Sir Acorn, are banished, to the Zone of   
Silence forever!"  
  
The Zone of Silence was an alternative Zone invented by Ixis Naugus,   
the king's former wizard.  
  
"You'll never get away with this!" shouted King Acorn.  
  
"I don't see anybody stopping me," replied Robotnik, "and while you're   
there, say hello to Ixis, the Zone's inventor, and Kodos, your former warlord!"  
  
And with that, the Swatbots opened the portal to the Zone of Silence   
and released the King into it. He was falling into the Zone of Silence and   
nobody could save him, he would be imprisoned forever...  
  
Sally and Maurice stared in horror, but Maurice then realized that he   
was now Sonic, and his thoughts ended. Maurice vanished. As did the   
King. As did any hopes of ever finding him...  
  
"Sonic" awoke from his daydream. This flashback wave of the past had   
caught him by surprise and now realized his legacy: not to defeat Robotnik, but   
to overthrow him, and return Mobius to King Acorn. But now he only wanted to   
get to Knothole. Sonic ran down the path toward Knothole, but something caught   
his eye. It was a device of some sort. Sonic picked it up. It had a flashing   
red LED (lighted electronic device) and a yellow button.  
  
"I wonder what this could be," thought Sonic, "or what this would do."  
  
Sonic pressed the yellow button. The red LED stopped flashing,   
displaying static red, and then turned green. Part of the forest, air, and   
trees moved upward. The planet itself seemed to shift as a cliff was revealed   
behind this amazingly camouflaged area. Sonic walked out onto the cliff and   
looked down. He saw a village of foxes. But one of them caught his eye. It   
was closer to a yellow color than the orange of the others. But Sonic's   
thoughts ended as one of them saw him.  
  
"Intruder!!" shouted the fox.  
  
One of the foxes, apparently the weapon holder, armed his gun and   
aimed at Sonic.  
  
"3... 2... 1..." he said, "ready... aim... fire!"  
  
"No!" shouted the yellow fox, leaping at the weapon master, "Hold your   
fire! I know him!"  
  
The yellow fox was someone Sonic knew too. It was...  
  
  
  
8  
  
Antoine, Sally, and Bunnie approached the outer limits of the Great Forest,   
unaware that Tails had been roboticized, or that Sonic was in an unknown   
village. They saw, in the distance, the smoky smog from Robotropolis'   
factories.  
  
"Let's move out," said Sally, who had Nicole back in her possession.  
  
"Nicole, robot scan on!" ordered Sally.  
  
"Robot scan on, Sally," said Nicole.  
  
Bunnie ejected her robotic legs to full length, and viewed their   
location from above.  
  
"We're in an unnamed territory between the Great Forest and Robotnik's   
city," said Bunnie.  
  
They trekked on, until they entered Robotropolis. They moved slowly   
and cautiously, but, amazingly enough, they were never spotted by robots. They   
approached the Main Structure.  
  
"Nicole, access code," ordered Sally.  
  
"Computing," said Nicole, "access code broken."  
  
The door creaked slightly and Sally pushed the rest of the way open.  
  
"Are you sure weer safe, Princess?" queried Antoine.  
  
"I'm not sure of anything," replied Sally, "except that we have to   
save Tails and Sonic."  
  
They found the Jail Hall and searched the cells, finding nothing.  
  
"Where could they be?" said Sally  
  
"You need not to concern yourself about that", a voice behind them   
said.  
  
Antoine turned around.  
  
"Robotnik!" shouted Antoine.  
  
"Very observant," said Robotnik sarcastically.  
  
Two Combots stepped out from behind Robotnik.  
  
"Surrender to Robotnik's empire and allow roboticization," said the   
Combots.  
  
"Quick, Nicole," whispered Sally, "surge!"  
  
"Surging, Sally," replied Nicole.  
  
Electricity trickled from Nicole's main output, hitting and   
short-circuiting the Combots.  
  
"Run!" shouted Sally.  
  
Antoine, Sally, and Bunnie ran down the hall. They barely escaped   
from an army of Swatbots, but finally made it out of the Main Structure.  
  
**********  
  
...Caero. It was Caero. Caero had saved Sonic from certain doom.  
  
"It seems Clash knows you, stranger," said the head fox, "come down."  
  
Sonic did so.  
  
"Who are you, stranger?" asked the head fox.  
  
"Sonic the Hedgehog," said Sonic.  
  
"Well, Sonic, do you know Clash?"  
  
"Yes, I do," replied Sonic, "he saved me from Robotnik. My friends may   
still be with him. I must save them."  
"I'd like to help you, Sonic," said Caero.  
  
"So be it!" said the head fox.  
  
Caero and Sonic set off for Robotropolis. With Sonic's speed, they   
were at Robotropolis in no time. Sonic used his Sonic Spin to cut an opening in   
the door to the Main Structure, then both he and Caero went inside. They went   
down a hallway, with Sonic in the lead.  
  
"Caero, let's check the Jail Cells," said Sonic.  
  
When there was no reply, Sonic said, "Caero?, Caero!"  
  
Sonic turned around. Caero was gone.  
  
Then, all of a sudden, a robot came and attacked Sonic. It was Tails!  
  
"Tails! You've been roboticized! No......" shouted Sonic, as he ran   
away. Sonic spun into the Control Room, where Robotnik was.  
  
"Sonic?" said Robotnik, surprised. "You were frozen to death!"  
  
"Oh, yeah?"  
  
Robotnik quickly grabbed his minor laser and shot Sonic. The beam hit   
him in the sneaker, which was fire-repellent. Sonic spun at Robotnik. Robotnik   
was hit in the stomach, an easy target for anyone.  
  
Whoof!  
  
Robotnik recovered, but Sonic spun at him again.  
  
"What is the reason for your attack?" asked Robotnik as soon as he   
recovered.  
  
"You roboticized Tails!" shouted Sonic, with a tear in his eye. Sonic   
almost cried, but delivered a flaming punch to Robotnik's head. Sonic now knew   
the meaning of war. Not a single wisecrack escaped his mouth. In war, he had   
to fight with all his might. Sonic was serious, for once in his life.  
  
Tears poured from Sonic's eyes as he kicked Robotnik, sending him to   
the ground, then spun at his back. Robotnik swung his robotic arm at Sonic.   
Sonic fell to the ground. With tears in his eyes, he yelled, "This is for   
Tails!!!" and spun his feet. They went in a figure eight and Sonic did a Super   
Peel out. Sonic let momentum take over as he surpassed the speed of sound in   
the short distance from him to Robotnik, knocking into Robotnik at full   
throttle. Robotnik lost his consciousness and Sonic spun into Robotnik's main   
computer, short circuiting it, "This is for Tails!!!"  
  
**********  
  
Antoine got up and said, "Okay, now weel retreat!"  
  
"No, Antoine," said Sally, "Sonic's always helped us when we needed   
it. And now he needs our help. But, even without that, Tails has to be in   
there, and, Antoine, Tails is just a kid! He really needs our help! We're   
Freedom Fighters! We help others!"  
  
Sally headed back for the Main Structure, with Bunnie close behind.  
  
Antoine sighed, and then followed them. They entered the Main   
Structure. Sally ran down a hall, with the others close behind, only to run   
into...  
  
**********  
  
Caero pulled himself up from the jail cell he was in. He had been   
captured by a Combot. Actually, an army of seven Combots had attacked him, but   
he had destroyed six of the seven, only to be caught by the seventh.  
  
Creak!! The door to Caero's cell opened. A huge shadow entered the   
cell. Ten Combots and three Nuerobots entered after the shadow. The gleam of   
the Combots' eyes reflected of the shadow, revealing it. It was Robotnik.   
  
"Who in the freakin' zone are you?!" cried Caero.  
  
"You fool!" shouted Robotnik, "What group of Freedom Fighters do you   
belong to?"  
  
"Freedom Fighters?" said Caero, "Who or what are they?"  
"You cannot deceive me!" shouted Robotnik, "where is your hideaway?"  
  
"Aw, shut up, blubber-butt!" retorted Caero.  
  
"Let's see if you can learn REAL language," said Robotnik, "inside a   
roboticizer!"  
  
The two laser-powered Neurobots grabbed Caero and carried him to his   
doom.  
  
  
  
9  
  
Sally pulled herself up from the ground only to find herself staring at two   
Combots. Only he was different. He was roboticized.  
  
"Help!" shrieked Antoine.  
  
"INTRUDER ALERT," said a Combot, "IDENTIFICATION- GROUP 02- KNOTHOLE   
FF- ID- 0741- ANTOINE D'COOLETTE. TARGETING... TARGET LOCK APPLIED... BLAST SET   
MAX... READY... AIM... FIRE."  
  
The blast hit Antoine, almost surely killing him. But as it did, time   
itself collapsed. The world became tinted purple and rotated 360o. The Freedom   
Fighters blacked out.  
  
**********  
  
Caero was taken to the ZIG room. ZIG, who Rotor had short-circuited   
had been taken apart. ZIG's components were in a heap in a corner of the room.   
ZIG's roboticization units were both attached, vertically, to the wall. A   
control center was in another corner of the room. Caero was held tight by the   
Nuerobots. Robotnik entered the control center.  
  
"Nuerobots!" commanded Robotnik, "Put the victim in the roboticizer!"  
  
Robotnik went over to the ZIG control room and pressed a button. The   
door to the first roboticizer slid open. The Nuerobots pushed Caero inside the   
first roboticizer. Robotnik pressed another button and the door to the first   
roboticizer slid shut. The door to the ZIG room creaked from its hinges as   
Sonic entered.  
  
"You're too late, hedgehog!" cackled Robotnik, who engaged the   
roboticizer enclosing Caero. Sonic, moving at TransSonic speed, spun at the   
base of the roboticizer, short-circuiting it. Caero scrambled out of the   
roboticizer. His right hand was robotic. Sonic, with Caero, spun his feet and   
blasted off at UltraSonic speed.  
  
**********  
  
Once outside Robotropolis, Sonic spoke, "Caero, everything's wrong! I   
can't find any of my friends. Tails is roboticized. I thought I knocked   
Robotnik out, but apparently he collected himself in time to attempt your   
roboticization. I have to save Tails though, Caero. I'll need a   
deroboticization unit. Our first hope is my uncle's place. Uncle Chuck. He's   
a robot, but he has complete control of his mind. Let's go!"  
  
Sonic and Caero headed for the boundary of Robotropolis. They   
approached the garbage dump that had hidden Uncle Chuck's hideaway for so long.   
Sonic peeled out at SuperSonic speed and jumped up in time to release Caero and   
pull open a code key. Sonic punched in Unc's code and the garbage in the center   
of the dump opened, showing that the dump was hollow and held together only by   
crude glue. Sonic entered and saw Uncle Chuck.  
  
"Sonic," said Uncle Chuck, "who is your friend?" As he said "friend,"   
he motioned to Caero.  
  
"Unc," replied Sonic, "This is Clash. Caero 'Clash' Chaotic. He's   
some kind of mutated fox."  
  
"Mutated?" shouted Caero, "I thought we were friends. Actually, it   
was my grandmother, Zinc, who was 'mutated,' as you call it. She had been in a   
chemical accident from the polluted waters of the Eternal River. It turned out   
it wasn't so 'eternal' after all; at least for my grandmother, it wasn't. She   
was intoxicated by the chemicals. She gave birth to my mother and died only a   
few days after. My mother showed resemblance to a fox, but her fur was more   
yellow than most foxes, but not nearly as yellow as mine. She mated with my   
father, and when I was born, my color was hardly that of a "fox." My fur was   
purely yellow; not a tint of orange. May the fool who polluted the Eternal   
River be damned forever. It wasn't the Robotnik bastard that I met; he wasn't   
born yet.  
  
The room was silent for a few minutes.  
  
"What are you here for, Sonic?" asked Uncle Chuck, breaking the   
silence.  
  
"We've come for a deroboticization unit," replied Sonic, "Tails has   
been roboticized. I must save him."  
  
"Well, Sonic," replied Uncle Chuck, "I've only one left, but here it   
is."  
  
Uncle Chuck gave Sonic a small device. It was labeled F10-40   
ETH-UNDO. Sonic rippled it, then blasted off at TransSonic speed.  
As he approached Robotropolis, he held the deroboticization unit   
tight. Caero came slowly behind Sonic. Sonic walked at half-UltraSonic speed,   
a very fast pace for only walking. Just to keep up, Caero had to run his   
fastest. Sonic walked only a few more paces before becoming surrounded by   
SWATbots.  
  
"Surrender, hedgehog," said the SWATbots.  
  
"Not today," said Sonic, "not any day!"  
  
Sonic hurled his backpack around to the front of him and grabbed a   
Power Ring from his backpack. He held it above his head. The Ring glowed   
yellow, and the glow surrounded Sonic. Sonic grabbed Caero, then moved at   
HyperSonic speed and went into a Super Sonic Spin to cut through the entrance to   
the Main Structure, destroying any and all SWATbots in his way. Sonic, now   
inside the Main Structure, returned the Ring back to his backpack. Sonic headed   
for the Control Center. Sonic spun through the door. Caero followed Sonic,   
quietly.  
  
"I wonder where the 'Tails-Bot' is," Sonic thought.  
  
Sonic had no time to wonder. He came face-to-face with Robotnik, in a   
new hovercraft. Caero outstretched his claws and jumped at the hovercraft. He   
ripped at the bottom – the craft's wind modulator (the device that makes it   
hover). The damage tipped the craft in one direction, but Robotnik just hovered   
higher, to prevent Caero from attacking it again. Robotnik flew directly   
overhead Sonic, then blasted a beam from the bottom of the ship. Sonic moved at   
SuperSonic speed, avoiding the blast. Robotnik pressed a button, opening a gap   
in the bottom of his hovercraft. A huge, spiked ball fell out of it. He swung   
it at Sonic. Sonic ducked, and the ball missed him. As he got back up to make   
a wisecrack for Robotnik, the ball, on its return swing, hit Sonic on the head.   
Robotnik then shot Sonic with a laser beam. Robotnik lowered his craft, to pick   
up Sonic, when Caero attacked. Caero knocked full-force into Robotnik with his   
fists extended. It slowed Robotnik down, but Robotnik recovered in time. Caero   
then swung at Robotnik's ship. Robotnik jumped out just as the ship exploded.   
Robotnik grabbed Sonic, who was unconscious, and pressed a button on his belt.   
Red beams formed rings around Robotnik, and then a plasma of red laser   
surrounded Robotnik and Sonic. Then a huge explosion took place where Robotnik   
had been standing, with red electrical currents coming from the central point.   
It blinded Caero for a moment, then Sonic and Robotnik were gone. But the one   
key thing ... was still there...  
  
**********  
  
Sally awoke to find herself in a medical room with Bunnie and Antoine   
in medical tables beside hers. Their clothes were hanging on a clothesline   
about fifteen feet away. Sally had a pain in her head.  
  
The door to the medical room creaked open and Sally saw someone enter   
the room that looked familiar. It was her!!! The Sally that entered the room   
had on a white lab coat and mechanical shoes instead of Sally's normal blue vest   
and blue boots. Sally pulled herself into a sitting position.   
  
"Who are you?" asked Sally.  
  
"I am you." replied the other Sally, "The you of the year 3212 3240."  
  
**********  
  
Uncle Chuck checked his spy monitors. He saw Sonic in the hands of   
Robotnik.  
  
Uncle Chuck set off, hoping to free him. He slowly and quietly, being   
seen a few times by SWATbots, but being let go by showing his ID, headed towards   
to Main Structure.  
  
**********  
  
Sally stood up.  
  
"How could you be me?" asked Sally to the lab-coated Sally.  
  
"Our technology is VERY advanced now," replied the other Sally, "We   
have created a time machine, which we used to bring you here, albeit by   
accident."  
  
"Our fellow Freedom Fighter, Antoine, is very badly harmed; can you do   
anything for him?"  
  
"Well, we already know who Antoine is," said the Sonic of the future,   
who had green eyes, and whose shoes had buckles unlike the Sonic of present   
time. "We are you; and there's only one way to help him. That way is to use   
our..."  
  
**********  
  
Uncle Chuck approached the entrance to the Main Structure. He pushed   
his ID into the slot and the door slowly opened. He passed the door. After he   
had passed through the door, the motion detector detected no more movement and   
the door slowly closed. Uncle Chuck moved slowly toward the ZIG room, where he   
suspected Sonic was being taken. He could also be in the Control Room, though.   
Furthermore, it would be hard to save Sonic without arousing suspicion that he   
had regained control of his mind. In addition, if he was suspected, he would be   
terminated...  
  
  
  
10  
  
Sally continued, "...time machine and go back in time to stop Antoine from   
being hurt. Our Antoine died years ago, because of what happened to him very   
close to YOUR present. I will now take you to our time machine."  
  
Sally got dressed, and then walked over to Bunnie and woke her. Sally   
explained to Bunnie where they were and what had happened. Bunnie then dressed.   
Then they got up and Bunnie carried Antoine as they followed the future Sally   
and future Sonic down a hallway. They turned left down another corridor and   
came to a steel door with computerized security. Future Sally inserted an ID   
card and the door slid open, as a computerized voice said, "Access Granted."   
  
They walked down another corridor to the right. Sally asked, "Why is   
the path to your time machine so complicated?" although she already had an idea   
of what the answer was.  
  
The future Sally responded, "Just in case anyone ever breaks into   
Knothole, we want to make it hard to find our time machine. If any   
Overlanders[2]* ever found it, that would be the end of us." That was pretty   
much what Sally thought the answer would be.  
  
They turned left, and then right. Then they came up to a   
super-secured door. Future Sally said, "Request Access."  
  
The door's computer said, "Insert Identification Card."  
  
The future Sally inserted her ID card. The computer said, "Now scanning   
iris."  
  
The computer scanned future Sally's iris, and then said, "Please state   
password for voice scan."  
  
Sally said, "Alicia, House of Acorn."  
  
The computer said, "Voice Scan Positive. Access Granted."  
  
The huge steel door slid to the right, revealing another chain-fence   
door, which slid up. That revealed a titanium wall, which slid to the left.   
Finally, a laser beam behind that, which covered the entire passage, shut off,   
creating a clear path.  
  
Future Sally, future Sonic, Sally, Bunnie, and Antoine, who was being   
carried by Bunnie, walked through the passage. Then they turned right, down   
another corridor, and then the corridor opened into a huge space. There they   
saw the Time Machine.  
  
  
What will   
become of Antoine? Will Tails be a mindless slave of Robotnik forever? What   
ever happened to Sonic? Will Sally and Bunnie actually make it through time?   
What secrets lurk inside the future Freedom Fighters? Will Crash be able to do   
anything to help anybody? Will Rotor?  
  
TO BE   
CONTINUED...  
  
In Sonic   
the Hedgehog: Take it All the Way: In the Beginning Part 3  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Part 3  
Resolutions  
  
  
  
  
11  
  
Caero stood, dumbfounded. "Where'd Sonic go?" he thought. Caero   
looked around, still mystified by Robotnik's technological disappearing act.   
Then he looked to the floor, and saw the deroboticization unit that Sonic had   
dropped before being warped away with Robotnik. Caero picked up the unit,   
knowing that this was an important key to the mission on which he had embarked   
with Sonic, yet knowing not what to do next.  
  
*****  
  
At Knothole, Rotor was attempting to contact Princess Sally,   
although, because she had entered the future, radio communication was   
impossible. After an hour of failed communication, Rotor decided to embark on   
his own mission: to locate Princess Sally and her crew, and to attack   
Robotropolis on the way.  
"Quack, watch Knothole," shouted Rotor.  
"But, Rotor," said the duck Doc, "I won't be able to fend off any   
intruders! My strength is medicine, and my weakness is battle!"  
"But I sense trouble," replied Rotor, "I haven't been able to   
contact the Princess for over an hour now. I must try and find them."  
Doctor Quack said, "Okay, Rotor, I'll alert the secondary army if   
anything is to happen."  
And, with that, Rotor set off on his mission.  
  
*****  
  
Sonic found himself falling through a zany zone, until the zone   
collapsed at the end of its path. Sonic fell into the ZIG room, and was   
immediately, without a chance to think or act, knocked unconscious by Robotnik.   
Sonic was thrown into the second roboticizer, (currently the only working one)   
and Robotnik sealed the door…  
  
~~~~~   
  
Robotropolis, Main Structure, That Very Second…  
Uncle Chuck stood in front of the ZIG room, unknowing that his   
nephew was in a roboticizer that very second. Hesitatingly, Uncle Chuck entered   
the ZIG room.  
"Sir Ivo Robotnik," he said, in a lifeless way, "there are SWATbots   
leaving their assigned areas."  
He hoped that Robotnik would leave to check on this (SWATbots are   
always leaving their assigned areas, so this was no lie.) for just long enough   
for Sonic to "escape." He had no such luck.  
"Can't you see I'm busy?" yelled Robotnik.  
Uncle Chuck thought for a second, and decided he must save his   
nephew if he could.  
  
~~~~~  
  
That Very Second…  
At the same time as Sonic's dilemma, Rotor was exploring the Main   
Structure. At the same time that Robotnik sealed Sonic's roboticizer, Rotor   
bashed into the Power Station. As he saw that no one was inside, Rotor plugged   
an artificial-overload-signal (AOS) device into one of the power devices,   
unknowing of what sections of Robotropolis it powered.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Meanwhile, in the ZIG room, Robotnik activated Sonic's roboticizer,   
initializing the roboticization process. Uncle Chuck flinched, and was ready to   
stop Robotnik if Sonic began to roboticize. After the destruction of the ZIG   
robot, he was hoping the roboticizer would fail to buy him more time, and so he   
would not have to reveal the fact that he was free-thinking.  
  
~~~~~  
  
That very second, Rotor activated the AOS device, which emitted an   
artificial complex signal into the power device. After about two seconds, the   
power device was overloaded and shut down.  
  
~~~~~  
  
The roboticizer was initialized, and the roboticization process   
began. Uncle Chuck knew now that the roboticizer was functional. The process   
lasted only for less than a second, however, as the overloaded power device   
powered, among other things, the ZIG roboticization station. An overloaded   
surge from the power device rippled through the ZIG room, and the control center   
exploded. Robotnik was caught off-guard and was severely injured. The control   
center emitted a signal to Sonic's roboticizer as it was detonated, and the   
roboticizer door opened. Uncle Chuck quickly fled from the scene, to escape   
from any suspicion, although he himself wondered what could have caused such a   
miracle. Of course, this was no miracle. This was Rotor, accomplishing his   
mission with flying colors. He not only sabotaged some of Robotnik's devices,   
but he, unknowingly, saved Sonic as well. Sonic, woozy from the roboticizer's   
gasses, fell out of the chamber, and quickly run from the ZIG room. Robotnik   
quickly warped away.  
  
**********  
  
As the generator was powered down, an alarm signal was activated.   
Hundreds of SWATbots stormed into the Power Station, led by MileBot. (Tails,   
roboticized -- named after Tails, whose real name is Miles)   
"CEASE FIRE," said MileBot, "IDENTIFICATION - GROUP 02 - KNOTHOLE FF - ID - 0688   
- JOE 'ROTOR' SUSHI. TAKE PRISONER. COMMENCE."  
The SWATbots grabbed Rotor and took him to the Jail Hall. He was thrown into a   
normal titanium cell.  
A few minutes later, Snively, Robotnik's right-hand man, appeared.  
Snively, also Robotnik's nephew, was a short man, bald like his uncle, with a   
long, pointy nose.  
"His lordship, Robotnik," snarled Snively, "is unable to welcome you right now.   
I shall do the honors. Welcome to the Robotropolis jail. You've been here   
before, but this time you shan't escape. The bars, at least in this cell, have   
been upgraded to titanium, so your feeble inventions shan't make so much as a   
dent in these bars. Have fun!"  
Snively laughed, and off he walked. Rotor growled, and removed one of his laser   
devices from his backpack.  
"Let's see if these bars are as strong as he says they are," mumbled Rotor.  
Rotor took out a power booster, and attached it to his laser. Fire! The laser   
surged toward the bars of the jail cell. Rotor inspected the damage.  
"Snively's almost right," said Rotor to himself, seeing the small dent made by   
the boosted laser, "these bars are strong, but, as long as I'm not caught   
firing, I should, in time, escape."  
  
**********  
  
Meanwhile, in the future…  
"Okay, to set the time you want to warp to, you press the digital buttons," said   
the future Sally, "and then to warp, press the red button. But before you go,   
make sure you've set the right time and date, because the time machine is set to   
warp back to Knothole 3240 after thirty seconds of releasing its passengers.   
And, persevere always. You have the strength to defeat all evil."  
The future Sally winked at her past self, and then her and the future Sonic left   
the room.  
"TM-ACCESS DOOR CLOSED," said the computer voice.  
The door to the time machine opened.  
"Well, sugah-Sal, I guess this is it," said Bunnie.  
"Yeah, Bunnie," replied Sally, "I sure hope this works."  
Sally, and Bunnie, carrying Antoine, boarded the time machine. The door closed.  
"Welcome to the KFF 4D device," said the time machine's on-board computer,   
"please set destination time and date now."  
Sally used the digital keypad to set the year to 3234 and the date and time to   
seven minutes before Antoine's destruction.  
"Here goes nothing," said Sally, pushing the red button.  
"KFF 4D device engaged," said the on-board computer.  
Outside the time machine, power orbs upon steel poles began to rotate around the   
time machine. Quicker and quicker, they spun. They began to surge with power,   
until the power overflowed onto the time machine, and then, all of a sudden, the   
time machine flashed and Sally and Bunnie, with the still-unconscious Antoine,   
found themselves floating through a realm of warped reality, falling through   
time. Back through six years they fell, until finally, true reality surged into   
the dimension where Sally and Bunnie were, and they fell into the location where   
they had been seven minutes before Antoine's demise.  
"KFF 4D device warping in fifteen seconds," said the time machine's computer.  
The time machine sat there, half real, and half a dream of warped reality.   
Fifteen seconds later, the time machine faded away, and Antoine became   
conscious.  
Sally, Bunnie, and Antoine were outside Robotropolis. They had been planning to   
return to the Main Structure to find Sonic. They had just been chased out of   
the Main Structure by some SWATbots.  
To Bunnie, Sally whispered, "Should we go back to Knothole and come back later,   
to avoid any possible reoccurrence of the unfortunate mishap?"  
"That might be a good idea this time," replied Bunnie.  
Antoine got up and said, "Okay, now weel retreat!"  
"Okay, but we'll have to come back later," said Sally, "because we can't just   
leave Sonic."  
The three Freedom Fighters returned to Knothole, after a long walk. (Sally and   
Bunnie were still trying to remember exactly what happened)  
  
  
*****  
  
It turns out that Sally had left her radio communicator in the future, and   
therefore Rotor was unable to contact her. Rotor embarked on his mission, and   
the same thing happened. Sonic was spared from roboticization at the last   
minute, and Rotor was imprisoned. By the time Sally, Bunnie, and Antoine had   
returned to Knothole, Rotor had already left.  
  
*****  
  
Knothole…  
Sally, Bunnie, and Antoine enter Knothole.  
"Princess Sally!" shouted Doctor Quack.  
"Hello, Doctor Quack," said Sally. "What's happened while we were gone?"  
"Rotor was unable to contact you!" said the doctor. "He left for Robotropolis to   
try to find you!"  
"Uh-oh," said Sally, and then whispered to Bunnie, "I left my radio in the   
future."  
  
*****  
  
Robotropolis…  
Caero was still thinking about what to do with the deroboticizer, and what his   
next move should be, when Sonic raced around the corner and grabbed Caero,   
speeding out of the Main Structure.  
"What's up?" asked Caero. "What happened? Where'd you go?"  
Still running, Sonic replied, "Robotnik warped me to the ZIG room. Y'know, the   
place that turned your arm mechanical. I was almost roboticized, but, all of   
the sudden, the power to the ZIG room shut off. Robotnik was fried."  
Sonic came to a halt outside Robotropolis.  
"Was that you?" he asked.  
"Was that me, what?" asked Caero, confused.  
"Did you shut down the power to the ZIG room?"  
"Sorry, but that wasn't me. Ever since you left, all I've been doing was   
thinking about what to do next."  
"Hmm, then I wonder who it was…"  
  
*****  
  
The Jail Hall, about ten minutes later…  
Rotor was still firing away at the bars to his cell. He had made a nice-sized   
dent in one of the bars, but it would still be a long way to go before he could   
get out of the cell. He had been trying to contact Knothole, and Sally's   
personal radio (left in the future), but no signal made it through.  
"Rotor, can you… do… read me… if you copy… respond… this is… over…" came a   
broken signal, all of a sudden.  
Rotor quickly took out has transmitter and sent a reply, "I copy, but your   
signal is weak. Who is this? I am in Robotropolis, in a jail cell. Over…"  
"Rotor, do you copy… Sally… this is Sa… respo… do you… over…"  
Apparently, the message sent by Rotor had not gotten through to Knothole. So,   
Rotor sent another message.  
"This is Rotor. I am in jail at Robotropolis. This is Rotor. I am…"  
Rotor's message was cut off by a SWATbot's laser. The SWATbot began to send a   
message to Snively. Rotor quickly took out a laser and fired at the SWATbot,   
but it was too late. Two minutes later, Snively appeared with two Combots at   
his side.  
"This is no game, walrus. I was going to let you rot here, give you a chance to   
escape," said Snively. "Well, that wasn't really my purpose, but, anyway, now   
that you're trying to contact your friends, I'll have to roboticize you."  
"That doesn't make any sense," snapped Rotor.  
"Shut up," retorted Snively. "It doesn't have to. I'm going to roboticize you,   
and that's that."  
Snively opened Rotor's jail cell and the two Combots grabbed him.  
"Combots, take him to the secondary roboticization chamber!" Snively ordered.  
  
  
12  
Uncle Chuck was quickly heading for the exit from the Main Structure when he was   
stopped by a SWATbot.  
"Return to duty," it said.  
"What is my duty?" replied Uncle Chuck.  
"Serve Robotnik," said the SWATbot.  
"In what way am I not serving Robotnik?" snapped Uncle Chuck.  
"This does not compute," said the SWATbot, as it seemingly did not have an   
answer in its programming.  
But a Combot seemed to have an answer, as it was a newer robot compared to the   
SWATbot, and was more deeply programmed.  
"Your programming does not send you in the direction which you are traveling,"   
said the lifeless Combot.  
Another Combot entered the scene and said to Uncle Chuck, "The lord Ivo Robotnik   
wishes you in his chambers immediately, Sir Charles."  
"Uh-oh," thought Uncle Chuck, "maybe I shouldn't have argued with that SWATbot."  
Uncle Chuck was escorted into the Command Center by the two Combots.  
  
**********  
  
Knothole…  
"I got a faint signal from Rotor, although all I could make out very little,"   
said Bunnie.  
"Did he say where he was?" asked Sally  
"Not that I could make out," replied Bunnie.  
"Maybe we can track the signal," said Sally. "Nicole?"  
"I'm sorry, Sally. The connection to Rotor was too faint to be recorded. With   
a signal that faint, you can only track it while it is in progress," said   
Nicole.  
"Well, then," said Bunnie, "I guess we'll have to guess Robotropolis."  
Dr. Quack commented, "That is where he said he was going."  
"I am aleergeec to Robotneek," whined Antoine.  
"Maybe we should leave him at Knothole," Bunnie whispered to Sally, "after what   
almost happened."  
"That time is passed. We can't be worried about what almost happened anymore.   
We need him," replied Sally, and then, louder, "Come on, Antoine. We've got   
ourselves a Freedom Fighter to save!"  
  
**********  
  
Robotropolis…  
"Come on, Caero," said Sonic, "let's see if Unc's found out anything new."  
"All right," replied Caero, "let's go!"  
The two of them headed for the secret hideaway, and Sonic opened the door.  
"Unc?" called Sonic, "Unc, are you here?" "I guess he had to do something in   
Robotnik's domain. Sometimes he has to do stuff for Robotnik to keep Robotnik   
thinking he's under his control."  
"Should we go back into fat-boy's place?"  
"I dunno." "With my uncle in there, it could put all of us in danger." "If   
Robotnik sees us, he'll force Unc to sic us, and if my uncle doesn't,   
Nonutnik'll know Chuck has his free will back and realign him."  
"Realign?"  
"That means put Unc back under his control."  
"Well, all right."  
"How 'bout going to the home of my band, the Freedom Fighters? I can introduce   
you to my friends."  
"Sounds good to me."  
Sonic and Caero headed for Knothole.  
  
**********  
  
Meanwhile, in Robotnik's Headquarters…  
Robotnik spun his chair around to face Uncle Chuck as he entered his domain.  
"Hello, Sir Charles," rasped Robotnik.  
"How may I serve you, my lord?" monotonously spoke Chuck.  
"Hmm, well, you could explain to me the conversation you had with the SWATbot a   
few minutes ago." "Let's see."  
"Uh-oh!" thought Uncle Chuck.  
"Not understood," Uncle Chuck replied.  
"Let's just ask this straight out: have you gained free will and independence   
from my control?"  
"I live to serve you, my lord. Your word is my command."  
"I'm not so sure I believe you." "Well, let's test your allegiance."  
Robotnik turned around in his chair and spoke into his radio transmitter:   
"Secondary roboticization chamber units, send the walrus to my chambers."  
About a minute later, two Combots arrived with Rotor. Robotnik pressed a button   
on his control panel, turned his chair around and stepped up to Uncle Chuck.  
"Computer, activate warp!" boomed Robotnik.  
"Yes, sir, activating warp now," spoke the computer.  
Uncle Chuck, Robotnik, Rotor, and the two Combots were all surrounded in a red   
glow.  
  
**********  
  
Knothole sector, Great Forest…  
Antoine reluctantly followed Bunnie and the princess. They headed out of Sector   
102 of the Great Forest, into Sector 101. A few SWATbots patrolled the area.  
"Fire, Bunnie!" commanded Sally, quietly.  
Bunnie activated her pulse cannon and fired at one of the SWATbots. Quickly, it   
was taken down, but this alerted the other SWATbots; two of them, to be exact.  
"Identified as Freedom Fighters Sally Alicia Acorn, Bunnie Rabbot, Antoine   
D'coolette," droned a SWATbot.  
"Priority One: apprehend Freedom Fighters," blared the other.  
The SWATbots fired stun rays. Antoine barely avoided one that whizzed past his   
left ear, then drew his sword and struck one of the robots. The SWATbot fell to   
the ground and squeaked out, "Malfunction!" Antoine struck the SWATbot again,   
and it sizzled with electricity, and then short-circuited. The other SWATbot   
fired a stun ray at Bunnie, which hit her robotic arm, causing a shutdown of her   
pulse cannon. Sally delivered a flip back kick (her trademark attack) to the   
SWATbot and it exploded upon contact with the ground.  
Bunnie's pulse cannon rebooted at this point. The shutdown was only temporary,   
apparently. The trio of justice-seeking warriors headed out of the Great   
Forest, toward the prime enemy for which their cause was to fight.  
  
**********  
  
Great Forest…  
Sonic and Caero headed into the Great Forest, Sector 107. Sector 107 was at the   
boundary of the Great Forest. From 107, going into the forest, was 104, and   
then 101.  
"So, Caero," spoke Sonic, "how did you make your clan's hideaway invisible?"  
"'Tis not invisible," replied Caero, "just scientifically blended with its   
surroundings." "That remote you found removes the camouflage."  
"But how can you do it?"  
"Our clan has scavenged some of blubber-butt's technology components and studied   
them to make them more advanced. I don't know how our clan does it. We have a   
few things Robotnik doesn't have. He has a lot of things we don't have. But he   
hasn't found us yet!"  
Caero and Sonic entered Sector 104.  
"Let's speed up!" suggested Sonic.  
"Fine by me; just don't go too fast!" replied Caero.  
Sonic headed toward Sector 101 at a slightly faster pace, when he was attacked   
by SWATbots patrolling Sector 104.  
"Priority Two: neutralize Sonic the Hedgehog!" alerted a SWATbot as it detected   
Sonic.  
"Not today," cried Sonic, "not any day!"  
Sonic went into spin mode and blasted through all the SWATbots. All but one   
were destroyed after this quick maneuver by Sonic. Caero delivered a strong   
punch to finish off the last one.  
"Nice job, Caero!" congratulated Sonic.  
"Thanks," cheered Caero, "you were pretty awesome yourself!"  
Caero and Sonic continued, now walking, toward Knothole (in Sector 102), and,   
more immediately, toward Sector 101.  
  
**********  
  
Robotropolis, Secondary Roboticization Chamber…  
The room was filled with a red glow as Robotnik, Chuck, Rotor, and the Combots   
arrived.  
"Welcome to the secondary roboticization chamber," smirked Robotnik.  
Uncle Chuck was silent.  
"This is where we turn Mobian citizens into mindless robotic slaves who are   
helplessly under my command," said Robotnik, "like you."  
"Your word is my command, lord Robotnik," said Chuck.  
"That is what we will test now," said Robotnik. "After all, your conversation   
with the SWATbot earlier sounded as if it contained logic." "We don't want any   
logic in my slaves now, do we?" "Logic leads to free thought, and free thought   
leads to mutiny!"  
Again, Uncle Chuck was silent.  
"If you are under my control, you will obey my every command." "Including   
roboticizing one of your nephew's fellow Freedom Fighters!"  
Rotor, who had been silent all this time, now gasped.  
"Oh, no!" thought Uncle Chuck.  
"Sir Charles," boomed Robotnik, "I order you to roboticize the freedom-fighting   
walrus!" "NOW!"  
  
**********  
  
Great Forest…  
Sally, Bunnie, and Antoine trekked on. They now approached Sector 107, the   
boundary of the Great Forest. They were confronted by no more SWATbots. (Sonic   
and Caero finished off the last of them) Now, the trio approached Robotropolis.   
They crouched behind some metal piles.  
"Nicole, robot scan," commanded Sally.  
"Scanning, Sally," said Nicole. "Coast clear for current path."  
"Thank you," replied Sally, who then tucked Nicole into her pocket. "Let's go!"  
Sally, Bunnie, and Antoine continued on their current path, taking Nicole's word   
that the coast was clear. Nicole must have been correct, because they   
approached the Main Structure without any resistance from SWATbots. (or any   
other robots, for that matter)  
  
**********  
  
Knothole, Great Forest…  
Sonic and Caero approached Knothole. Knothole was in a secluded part of the   
forest, and had been yet undiscovered by Robotnik. Of course, even if it was   
discovered, the Freedom Fighters also had a secret hideaway underground, the   
entrance of which had been concealed by a tree stump. The tree stump was   
hollow, and upon opening the top, a secret passage was revealed.  
Sonic headed for his hut. "Well, this is my hut. Um, I sleep here, and I keep   
my stuff here. Want to meet my friends?"  
"Sure," replied Caero.  
Sonic left his hut and headed for Sally's hut. Upon seeing that she was not   
there he said, "Hmm, I wonder where she is. I hope nothing happened to her!"  
Sonic sped into Doctor Quack's hut, and Caero yelled out, "Wait up!"  
"Doctor Quack?" called Sonic.  
Doctor Quack turned around and replied, "Yes, Sonic?"  
At this time, Caero entered the room, but was quiet.  
"Where's Sally?"  
"Well, Sally, Bunnie, and Antoine left on a mission to find Rotor." "I haven't   
seen you for a while; where have you been?"  
"I'll tell you later!" "Right now, just tell me where they went to;   
Robotropolis, right?"  
"Yes, Robotropolis."  
Sonic zoomed out of the hut.  
"Sonic, wait up!"  
  
**********  
  
Outside Knothole, Caero and Sonic spoke.  
"Caero, I've put you in enough danger. I appreciate your help, but I think I   
should do this alone."  
"But, it seems like your friends are in danger. Your buddy Tails got turned   
into a robot, like, four of your friends are in Robotropolis, and your uncle   
might be confronted with one of them. Or you, if you're going to Robotropolis   
now."  
"You're right, but you've already saved me from Robotnik before. You've done   
enough."  
"I want to help, Sonic."  
"Are you sure? What about your clan?"  
"I'm sure, and my clan doesn't need me that much. They've got enough security."  
"Well, okay. C'mon!"  
Sonic and Caero set off together toward danger.  
  
  
  
13  
Robotnik stood in his secondary roboticization chamber, growing impatient from   
the delay that Uncle Chuck was giving him in response to the order given to him   
to roboticize Rotor.  
"Did you hear me?" snapped Robotnik. "I said, 'Roboticize the walrus!'"  
Hesitatingly, Uncle Chuck grabbed Rotor, but did not immediately throw him into   
a roboticizer.  
"Stop delaying! Roboticize the walrus now!"  
Uncle Chuck threw Rotor into a roboticizer.  
"Noooooooooooo!" screamed Rotor. "Remember me! Don't you remember me?"  
Of course, Uncle Chuck remembered Rotor, but he had a plan to save Rotor from   
being a slave of Robotnik, and save himself from being realigned, if he hadn't   
aroused too much suspicion already.  
Uncle Chuck went to the control panel and activated Rotor's roboticizer. Inch   
by inch, Rotor became robot.  
  
**********  
  
Main Structure, Robotropolis…  
Sally took Nicole from her pocket.  
"Nicole, can you override the lock on the door?" said Sally, referring to the   
great iron door to the Main Structure.  
"Activating security override code," reported Nicole. "Lock disabled. Door   
unlocked."  
"Thank you, Nicole."  
"My pleasure."  
"Bunnie, can you push the door open now that it is unlocked?" asked Sally.  
"Of course, sugah-Sal!"  
Using her robotic arm, Bunnie pushed the iron door open, revealing the entrance   
to the Main Structure of Robotropolis.  
"I wonder if we'll run into Tails," said Bunnie. "He was roboticized. I saw him   
roboticized before my very eyes!"  
"WHAT???" yelled Sally. "It took you this long to tell us because…"  
"Tails was roboticized?" stammered Antoine.  
"Well, I was sort of caught up in the whole, uh, future thing."  
"Tails was … roboti … cized?" stammered Antoine.  
"Yes, Antoine," said Bunnie.  
A couple of SWATbots caught the Freedom Fighters off-guard, in the middle of   
their "conversation."  
"Priority One: apprehend Freedom Fighters," reported a SWATbot.  
"Oh mah stars!" cried Bunnie.  
Antoine quickly recovered from his being startled over Tails' roboticization and   
drew his sword. He struck one of the two SWATbots. The other SWATbot fired a   
stun ray at Sally, who barely ducked out of the way. Sally was still holding   
Nicole, and quickly said, "Fire, Nicole!"  
"Firing!"  
Nicole emitted a laser blast that exploded the second SWATbot. The first   
SWATbot recovered from Antoine's attack and was about to fire a stun ray at   
Antoine, when Bunnie fired at it with her pulse cannon, taking the SWATbot out   
quickly.  
"Let's go before we get caught off-guard again," suggested Sally.  
"Good idea," replied Bunnie.  
The Freedom Fighters proceeded into the Main Structure.  
  
**********  
  
Great Forest…  
Sonic and Caero speeded toward Robotropolis, Caero trailing far behind. As   
Sonic entered Robotropolis, many SWATbots were alerted. Sonic stopped briefly   
to let Caero catch up, then speeded quickly between the laser shots of the   
SWATbots, moving so quickly that he appeared only as a blue blur, then went into   
spin mode and doubled back to knock out most of the SWATbots so Caero could get   
through without hassle.  
Seeing that the door to the Main Structure was already open, Sonic thought, "My   
friends must be here." Sonic and Caero darted into the Main Structure. Inside,   
both SWATbots and Combots patrolled the corridors. After rounding a corner,   
Sonic spotted Sally, Bunnie, and Antoine. Sonic signaled to Caero to follow   
him. Sonic approached his friends and said, "Hey, guys!"  
Sonic's friends were startled, caught off-guard again, and were ready to attack,   
but they saw it was only Sonic.  
"Sonic, where have you been all this time?" asked Sally. "And who's this with   
you?"  
"This is Caero, but I'll tell you the whole story later." "Right now, let's   
just find Tails and Rotor."  
Sonic checked his backpack, but saw that his deroboticizer unit was missing, and   
said so.  
"Not to worry, Sonic," said Caero, "I have it!" Caero took out the unit and   
handed it to Sonic. Sonic put the unit in his backpack and said, to the trio,   
"I got a deroboticizer from Uncle Chuck, to deroboticize Tails. Wait, you didn't   
know Tails was roboticized."  
"Yes, we knew," said Antoine. "Bunnie told us."  
Again, the Freedom Fighters were caught off-guard by robots, except this time,   
it was a SWATbot and two Combots.  
"Uh-oh," said Caero, "these green robots (referring to the Combots) look   
stronger than the ones we've met so far."  
"Less talk, more action," said Sonic, who spun into one of the Combots.  
The Combot quickly recovered from the attack and fired a net to capture the   
Freedom Fighters. Antoine was caught in the net, but quickly drew his sword and   
escaped before the Combot could do anything. Bunnie tried to fire her pulse   
cannon, but was knocked down by the second Combot before she could do so. Sally   
kicked the first Combot, knocking it to the floor. Caero, using his strength,   
decapitated the robotic minion. The SWATbot was easily taken out by Sonic's   
spin maneuver. Antoine struck the second Combot, but it was not quite enough to   
defeat it. The Combot knocked Antoine into Sally, and both fell to the ground.   
Attacking from behind the Combot, Caero knocked the Combot down, and Sonic   
finished it off with a spin.  
Phew!  
  
**********  
  
Secondary Roboticization Chamber, Robotropolis…  
Robotnik smiled.  
"It seems as if you are still my slave," he said to Uncle Chuck. "Good work."  
Robotnik pressed a button and red beams surrounded him. The red flashed and   
Robotnik was gone. The Combots exited the room, leaving only Uncle Chuck and   
Rotor. (still in the roboticizer) Uncle Chuck opened the roboticizer and   
released the robotic Rotor.  
Rotor looked at himself and cried, "What happened?"  
"Quiet!" spoke Uncle Chuck. "In order that Robotnik would not suspect me of   
having free will, I had to roboticize you. I used a neural-override chip so you   
would become robotic, but would keep your free will.[3] Until I can   
deroboticize you, you must pretend to be under Robotnik's control. Or somehow   
escape from Robotropolis. Come with me."  
Uncle Chuck exited the chamber, and Rotor quickly followed him.  
  
**********  
  
Robotnik's Control Center ("Headquarters"), Robotropolis…  
Robotnik appeared in the room via warp from the secondary roboticization   
chamber. He sat in his control chair and ordered, "Send newly-created SWATbots   
to Great Forest. In need of replacements. Snively, report to the control   
center immediately."  
  
**********  
  
Main Structure, Robotropolis…  
Antoine, Sally, and Bunnie got up. Sally pulled out Nicole and said, "Nicole,   
can you locate Rotor or the roboticized Tails?"  
"I don't have the internal structure of Tails in roboticized form, and cannot   
find one individual robot that stands out as having an internal structure close   
to matching that of Tails," reported Nicole.  
"And Rotor?" asked Sally.  
"I am unable to find Rotor."  
"Damn." "Well, we'll just have to search Robotropolis."  
"But weel neevar find them in thees huge place," whined Antoine.  
Sonic, Caero, Sally, and Bunnie all proceeded down the corridor, leaving Antoine   
behind.  
Realizing that he had been left behind, Antoine cried, "Wait for me!" and ran   
after the Freedom Fighters. (and Caero)  
  
**********  
  
Control Center, Robotropolis…  
Snively entered the control center.  
"Yes, master?" he called.  
"My computer detects that the rodent and some of his rabble rousers are in the   
corridors of my main structure. Take a group of Combots and find the Freedom   
Fighters."  
"Yessir."  
  
**********  
  
Main Structure, Robotropolis…  
Uncle Chuck quickly sneaked toward the exit from the Main Structure, and Rotor   
followed him out of the Main Structure. Chuck led Rotor to his hideaway in the   
metal pile. Uncle Chuck entered his code and the door opened outward and   
upward. Uncle Chuck went inside, and to Rotor he beckoned, "Come in!"  
Rotor stepped inside and the door to Chuck's hideaway closed.  
"I would deroboticize you now, and say Sonic and the rest of the Freedom   
Fighters must have done it, but I gave my last deroboticizer to Sonic in order   
to try and deroboticize Tails," said Uncle Chuck.  
"Tails got roboticized?"  
"Robotnik's files, and Sonic, say so."  
"Damnit," yelled Rotor, "I should have tried harder to save him - I was in the   
ZIG room when he was put to sleep, but I escaped and left Tails."  
"It's not your fault!"  
"I know, but I still feel bad."  
"I am sad about it too - I only hope my nephew can save him," said Uncle Chuck.  
"Follow me," said Uncle Chuck, who headed for a stairway leading to a lower   
level of his hideaway. Rotor followed him.  
They went down the stairs into what Uncle Chuck used as his laboratory.  
Uncle Chuck said, "I have been working on various experiments, as well as making   
deroboticizers down here. I'll concentrate on working especially on the   
deroboticizer I've started. Hopefully, soon, we'll get you back to normal. I'm   
so sorry I had to do this to you. I hope you can forgive me."  
"I forgive you, Chuck," said Rotor. "If it weren't for you, I would have been   
roboticized by Robotnik anyway, and I'd be under his control right now."  
Uncle Chuck smiled, and then said, "Well, I'd better get to work on the   
deroboticizer. You'd might as well stay here, until I can devise a plan to get   
you to Knothole, or finish the deroboticizer."  
"Thanks, Chuck."  
  
**********  
  
Main Structure, Robotropolis…  
The Freedom Fighters worked forward, along the corridor.  
Sally suggested, "Let's go to the robot hangar. Maybe we'll find Tails there."  
"But what if we meet some robots?" whined Antoine.  
"Of course we'll run into some robots! It's called a robot hangar!" said Sonic.  
"No need for arguing. I've got a better idea!" came a voice from behind the   
Freedom Fighters.  
The Freedom Fighters turned around to face Snively, who had an army of about   
twenty Combots.  
"Combots, attack!"  
Even the five warriors of Sonic, Sally, Bunnie, Antoine, and Caero could be no   
match for twenty battle-programmed Combots.  
  
  
  
14  
The Freedom Fighters fought valiantly, but were captured after taking out five   
Combots. The Freedom Fighters were taken to Robotnik.  
"Lord Robotnik, what do you wish me to do with them?" asked Snively.  
"Neurobot, take Sonic to the second titanium cell," said Robotnik. "Combots,   
take the rest of them to the roboticizer waiting cells."  
"YESSIRMMM" said the Neurobot.  
"Yes, lord," said a Combot.  
The Neurobot grabbed Sonic and fired a stun ray at him. The Neurobot then left   
the room with Sonic, now stunned.  
Four Combots grabbed the Freedom Fighters (and Caero) and left the room.  
"Feel my wrath!" yelled Robotnik.  
  
**********  
  
Second Titanium Cell, Robotropolis…  
Sonic slowly regained his consciousness after recovering from the stun ray fired   
by the Neurobot. He realized he was in another cell similar in structure to the   
icy titanium chamber that Caero saved him from. Sonic stood up to face what was   
to come.  
A video screen on the wall came to life with Robotnik's face.  
"Hello, hedgehog," said Robotnik, "and welcome to my second titanium chamber.   
How you escape from my first, I do not know, but there should be no escape this   
time!"  
Robotnik's face disappeared from the video screen, and the ceiling panel opened,   
to reveal a wall of spikes. The floor Sonic was standing on opened, to reveal a   
glass floor, and far below it, another wall of spikes, designed to fit into the   
gaps of the upper wall of spikes.  
Robotnik's face reappeared on the video screen. He said, "The glass you are   
standing on will be removed in time to trap you between the spikes, which will   
close upon you!" Robotnik's face vanished again from the screen.  
Ever so slowly, the ceiling began to lower, and the lower wall of spikes began   
to rise toward the glass.  
  
Roboticizer Waiting Cell, Robotropolis Main Structure...  
Sally, Bunnie, Antoine, and Caero were thrown into the roboticizer waiting cell.   
Already in there were a woodpecker and a hawk, both obviously male. The   
Combots slammed the door and left the waiting area.  
"You guys got caught by Robotnik too?" asked Caero to the animals already in the   
cell.  
"Yeah, we were out patrolling for our band of Freedom Fighters, and..." the   
woodpecker was cut off by Sally.  
"You guys are Freedom Fighters?" interrupted Sally.  
"Yeah," replied the hawk, "why?"  
"We're Freedom Fighters too," said Sally, "at least, most of us. We didn't know   
there were any more bands of Freedom Fighters."  
"Yeah," said Bunnie, "where is your band located?"  
"We're located in the mountains next to the Great Forest," replied the   
woodpecker.  
"Any plans to escape?" asked the hawk.  
"Let's ask my pocket computer, Nicole," said Sally, who took out Nicole.   
"Nicole, advice for escape?"  
"When the robot comes to roboticize the next victim, if you time your moves   
right, some of you can escape through the open cell door," suggested Nicole.  
"Thanks, Nicole."  
Just then, a Combot arrived.  
"Woodpecker, your turn has come!"  
The Combot opened the door and grabbed the woodpecker. Sally bolted through the   
open door, barely avoiding the Combot's grasp. Bunnie tried to escape as well,   
but was unable. The Combot sounded an alarm, and then grabbed the woodpecker,   
taking him to his doom.  
"Help me!" screamed the woodpecker.  
Sally decided to try and save the woodpecker. "Nicole, can we save the   
woodpecker?"  
"I can attempt to confuse the Combot's system, while you try to free the   
woodpecker. Emitting confuse signals now."  
The Combot suddenly stopped in its tracks and acted strange. It projected one   
arm outward, then activated its fire-repellent suit, and then deactivated it.   
Sally saw her chance. She performed a flip back kick at the Combot, knocking it   
down.  
It was still too confused to get up, and released its grip on the woodpecker.   
"Run!" yelled Sally. The woodpecker ran, and Sally ran behind him. The Combot   
came out of its confusion and chased after Sally and the woodpecker. Apparently   
responding to the alarm, about five SWATbots came around the corridor's corner,   
and fired openly at Sally and the woodpecker. Sally and the woodpecker rounded   
a corner, and were temporarily out of sight range of the Combot (and SWATbots   
which were farther back down the corridor) and ducked into a ventilation grate.   
The woodpecker wisely followed her. The Combot, followed by the SWATbots,   
rounded the corner, and continued running past the grate.  
"Phew!" sighed Sally.  
"Thanks for saving my life!" said the woodpecker. "My name is Ruben. What's   
yours?"  
"My name is Sally," said Sally.  
"Sally? Sally Acorn?"  
"That's right, Princess Sally Acorn."  
"Wow! It is nice to make your acquaintance, your majesty!"  
"Enough with the formalities," said Sally. "Your friend, the hawk..."  
"His name is Dirk," interrupted Ruben.  
"Your friend, Dirk, and my friends, are all in trouble. We should try and save   
them ASAP!"  
"But the alarm was sounded! Robotnik is looking for us!"  
"Well, I'm willing to take the chance. Are you with me?"  
"All right, I'll go."  
"Good! Let's go as soon as the coast is clear."  
  
**********  
  
Uncle Chuck's Hideaway, Robotropolis...  
Uncle Chuck came upstairs to take a break from working on the deroboticizer, and   
went into his spy center. After looking through a few of Robotnik's files, and   
spying on a few locations, Uncle Chuck found out that his nephew, and a few   
Freedom Fighters, were in deep trouble. He saw the spikes closing in on Sonic,   
and then he saw the glass drop and Sonic fall onto the lower spikes. Only a   
little space left before Sonic was crushed to death. He found that Sally had   
escaped, as well.  
"I think I'll leave rescuing the Freedom Fighters to her, because she knows   
where they are. I'll have to save Sonic," thought Uncle Chuck. "But how?"  
  
**********  
  
Roboticizer Waiting Area Corridors, Robotropolis…  
"Nicole, status?"  
"The coast will be clear after two more Combots pass the vent," replied Nicole.  
Sally watched as two Combots passed the vent, and then signaled to Ruben to   
follow her. Sally opened the vent and stepped out into the corridor. Ruben   
sighed, and then exited the vent. Sally put the vent into place, and crept   
toward the cell.  
"Nicole, robot scan."  
"Scanning.." "SWATbots detected."  
Sally ducked into a side corridor. Ruben stood clueless, so Sally grabbed him   
and pulled him into the corridor. The inferior SWATbots clanked past the side   
corridor, Sally and Ruben unnoticed.  
"Coast clear, Sally."  
Sally and Ruben left the side corridor, and crept toward the corner where they   
had lost the Combots. Sally peeked around the corner, saw that the coast was   
clear, and rounded the corner. They reached the cell and Antoine greeted Sally.   
Sally shushed him, and told everyone to be quiet.  
"Dirk, the hawk, was taken to the roboticizer," whispered Bunnie.  
"Oh no!" gasped Ruben.  
"Shhh," said Sally. "Nicole, can you break the lock?"  
"Yes, Sally," replied Nicole, "cracking code.."  
Within seconds, the cell door creaked open, and the Freedom Fighters (and Caero)   
filed out of the cell.  
A Combot entered the corridor: "Priority One: apprehend Freedom Fighters!"  
The Combot fired at the warriors, but one blast from Bunnie's pulse cannon took   
the Combot out for good.  
"We've got to try to save Dirk!" said Ruben.  
Nicole said, "The Combot we just destroyed was here to take the next victim to   
the roboticizer; Dirk has already been roboticized."  
"What? No, that can't be!" cried Ruben.  
"I'm sorry, Ruben," consoled Sally, putting her hand on his shoulder.  
"We've accompleeshed nothing so far!" complained Antoine.  
"That's not true," said Bunnie. "We've saved Ruben here from Robotnik."  
"Thank you, all," said Ruben, "but I must return to my group." Ruben turned to   
leave, but Sally stopped him.  
"Ruben, one Freedom Fighter traversing alone could get captured," she said.   
"We'll go with you back to your band of FF's."  
"No, you've done enough," said Ruben, "so you don't have to go out of your way   
to do any more."  
"No, I'm glad to help," replied Sally, "and, besides, I'd like to meet some more   
Freedom Fighters."  
"But, Sally," said Bunnie, "Sonic's here, remember? What if he gets roboticized   
because we don't go looking for him."  
"He'll be all right. I can sense it."  
  
**********  
  
Uncle Chuck's Hideaway, Robotropolis…  
"C'mon, there's got to be a network here that controls the titanium cell!" cried   
Uncle Chuck, frustrated.   
Sonic now had to lie on his back to avoid the upper spikes; they were so close.  
"Eureka!"  
Uncle Chuck had found the network for the Jail Hall controls.  
"Quick, got to find the titanium cell controls!"  
The ceiling spikes were millimeters from touching Sonic, who was now wedged in   
between the lower spikes.  
"Got it! Now, to shut down the titanium chamber."  
The ceiling spikes were now touching Sonic, pushing their way into his flesh.   
It was just a matter of seconds now before the upper spikes fitted into the   
lower spikes, completely crushing and killing Sonic.  
Uncle Chuck rapidly typed. He tried the command "shutdown," then "stop." Sonic   
only had one second before the spikes would puncture his skin. Uncle Chuck   
typed, "end." The spikes stopped moving closer to each other, but Sonic was   
still trapped in a very uncomfortable position.  
Phew, sighed Uncle Chuck, "Now, I've just got to reset the spike alignment and   
open the cell door, so Sonic can escape."  
"RESET." Nothing. "REBOOT." The spikes' positions reset. "DOOR." The door   
controls were accessed. "OPEN." The door to the titanium chamber opened!  
  
**********  
  
Second Titanium Chamber, Robotropolis…  
Sonic realized that his life had been spared at the last possible second. He   
quickly looked up and saw that the glass was in place and that the titanium   
cover was now moving into position. He would have no way of escaping if the   
titanium cover completely sealed the opening because his spin could not   
penetrate titanium. He quickly went into a spin and shattered the glass, barely   
squeezing past the titanium floor. Sonic shot up in the air and by the time   
gravity pulled him back down, the titanium was completely in place, and Sonic   
made a clean landing onto it. He saw the cell door was open, and zipped out of   
the titanium cell. He quickly sped out of the Main Structure, spinning through   
any and all SWATbots and Combots in his path.  
  
**********  
  
Outside the Main Structure, Robotropolis…  
Sally, Bunnie, Antoine, Caero, and Ruben trekked out of the Main Structure, and   
through the Robotropolis junkyards and metal heaps. Soon, a few SWATbots   
attacked them.  
Sonic sped from the Main Structure, toward them. His spin took out two of the   
three SWATbots, and Caero's flaming punch took out the third.  
"I knew Sonic would be all right," thought Sally.  
"C'mon, everyone," yelled Sonic, as he sped off toward the Great Forest, "let's   
blow this pop-stand!"  
Everyone "came on."   
"Yeah, let's go, y'all!" shouted Bunnie, who ran after Sonic.  
  
**********  
  
Great Forest…  
Now united, these warriors must fight together to save Tails from being a   
mindless slave of Robotnik forever, and unite with Rotor.  
The Freedom Fighters have done much, and fought well, but have so much more   
ahead of them.  
  
  
15  
Uncle Chuck came up the steps from his laboratory, and spoke to Rotor.  
"Rotor," said he, "I've almost completed my deroboticizer. Soon, you should be   
back to normal."  
"Thanks, Chuck," he replied, "for all you've done, and all your help."  
"It is my pleasure," replied Uncle Chuck, "to do anything I can to help in the   
war against Robotnik. I'm going to get back to work on the deroboticizer now.   
The sooner I finish it, the better."  
"Okay."  
  
**********  
  
Tarahassas Mountains…  
Ruben led the Knothole Freedom Fighters (and Caero) to his band of Fighters'   
hideaway in the Tarahassas Mountains. Ruben approached a door carved into the   
rock at the base of the mountain. He pulled on a branch on a nearby tree,   
serving as a lever that opened the door. The door slowly opened, and Ruben,   
Sonic, Sally, Caero, Bunnie, and Antoine stepped inside. Ruben then pressed a   
button at the side of the door, on the inside, and the door closed slowly.   
Ruben then led the Knothole Freedom Fighters (and Caero) down a corridor, around   
a few corners, and then, finally, into a large meeting room.  
A goat stood up and demanded to Ruben, "Where is Dirk and who are they?" As he   
said they, he motioned toward Sonic.  
Ruben said, "These are Freedom Fighters from the Great Forest who helped me   
escape Robotnik."  
"And where's Dirk?"  
In a lower voice, Ruben replied, "Uh, Dirk, he, uh, um, Dirk, uh, he got, umm…"  
"Answer the question," demanded the goat, now in an angry tone.  
In almost a whisper, "Dirk got roboticized," was said by Ruben.  
Bunnie stepped in now, and said, "We were there too. Ruben and us tried to save   
Dirk, but when we finally escaped from the roboticizer waiting cell, Dirk had   
already been roboticized."  
"I'm sorry for my tone," said the goat. "It's just that I thought that might   
have happened when Ruben was stalling like that, and it just upset me. I'm not   
upset at Ruben. I'm upset at Robotnik! Anyway, it sure is nice to know that   
there are more Freedom Fighters who have a common cause with us: to defeat   
Robotnik. Anyway, if you need our help, you know where to find us now. Show   
them the door, Zoru. We must now mourn for Dirk."  
A bobcat, apparently known as Zoru, escorted the Freedom Fighters (and Caero)   
out of the hideaway.  
Sally, Bunnie, and Antoine started off toward Knothole, and Sonic said to Caero,   
"C'mon, let's go to Knothole too, unless you want to go back to your clan."  
"I'd like to continue fighting with you, Sonic," replied Caero, "so, let's go to   
Knothole!"  
"Okay, let's go!" said Sonic.   
Sonic and Caero headed toward Knothole, following behind Sally, Bunnie, and   
Antoine.  
  
**********  
  
Knothole, Great Forest…  
"So," said Sally, "now maybe you can explain who your friend is and why you took   
him to Knothole. Knothole is supposed to be secret!"  
"As I said before, this is Caero." said Sonic, motioning to Caero. "He rescued   
me from Robotnik. Robotnik had gotten me in some sort of freeze chamber, and I   
almost froze to death, but, somehow, Caero shut it down and saved me. I didn't   
know it was him until after that though. We have been working together to   
attack Robotnik since I found his clan. I brought him to Knothole earlier, when   
nobody was here, to meet you guys. I was expecting you to give him a warm   
welcome!"  
Sally responded, "That's great that he saved you, and we should be thankful for   
that, but, as I said before, Knothole is secret, and you aren't supposed to   
reveal its location to anyone!"  
Caero stepped up and spoke, "I won't reveal the location of Knothole to anyone!   
I swear!"  
Sally stepped up to Sonic and whispered to him, "Did you tell him about the   
underground portion of Knothole?"  
Sonic whispered back, "No, I didn't, and I won't unless you give me permission."  
"Okay, Sonic," said Sally, louder this time.  
"Thanks, Sal," said Sonic.  
Sonic stepped up to the podium, to make an announcement to everyone in the room,   
which would be Sally, Caero, Bunnie, and Antoine.  
"Everyone," announced Sonic. "We should return to Robotropolis for Tails and   
Rotor."  
"I agree," replied everyone, even Antoine.  
Antoine then asked, "Should we get the Tarahassas Freedom Fighters to help?"  
Bunnie responded, "No, they're probably mourning the loss of Dirk right now, and   
we don't have another deroboticizer to help Dirk. Besides, this isn't a mission   
to fight Robotnik. It's just a mission to save one of our own."  
All agreed.  
And so the Freedom Fighters set out again on the quest to find Tails and Rotor.  
  
**********  
  
Great Forest…  
"This time, I'll be ready if Snively pulls a move like that," said Sonic. "I've   
got my tornado move to wipe out at least ten of the Combots.  
"Let's just hope that that doesn't happen again," said Sally, "and not worry   
about it happening again."  
"Good idea," said Antoine, "I really don't want to theenk about those horrid   
Combots."  
"Let's hope that this time, our mission is successful, y'all," said Bunnie.  
"Yeah," said Caero.  
The five fighters walked off toward Robotropolis.  
  
**********  
  
Uncle Chuck's Hideaway, Robotropolis…  
Uncle Chuck came up from his lab again, but this time he was holding something,   
apparently the deroboticizer.  
"It's finished, Rotor!" exclaimed Uncle Chuck.  
"All right! Let's go for it!" replied Rotor enthusiastically.  
"Okay!" Uncle Chuck engaged the deroboticizer. Blue light drenched Rotor, and   
then the whole room flashed blue, temporarily making vision impossible through   
the intense light. When the color cleared, Rotor was still a robot!  
  
**********  
  
Great Forest…  
The five fighters were now approaching the boundary of Robotropolis.  
"Whoa," exclaimed Sonic, "look at the heavy security!"  
Sonic was right. The perimeter of Robotnik's city was swarming with robots.  
"This must be on account of the escape alarm that was sounded when I got out of   
the cell," said Sally, "but they're probably trying to keep me from leaving the   
city."  
"But, obviously, you've already left!" said Caero.  
"Yeah, it is strange. Normally their alerts aren't so slow that I was able to   
rescue Ruben, Bunnie, Antoine, and you." (meaning Caero, who last spoke)  
"Maybe there was a temporary break in the Robotropolis system, causing delays in   
commands being sent," said Nicole, who Sally had clipped to her boot.  
"No matter, anyway," said Bunnie, "they're not keeping you from leaving, but   
they do present a problem in us getting in."  
"What should we do?" asked Antoine.  
Suddenly, the ground began to shake beneath the Freedom Fighters' feet! A large   
tree fell, blocking the Freedom Fighters' path back to Knothole, and trapping   
Antoine's leg under it. The ground must have been weak here, because it began   
to crack. Sally fell into one of the large crevices, and was unable to grab   
onto the ground. She fell below the ground completely, and finally was able to   
grab onto a tree root jutting into the crack. Where she was holding onto was   
about two feet under the ground, and her grip would not be able to hold much   
longer.  
  
**********  
  
Uncle Chuck's Hideaway, Robotropolis…  
Rotor looked at himself, and when he realized that the deroboticizer had not   
worked, he screamed, "Oh, no!"  
"What could have gone wrong?" Uncle Chuck asked himself, but as he felt the   
shaking, that question left his mind. He quickly went over to his spy center,   
to search for the source of the quake.  
After looking through files generated by satellites that Robotnik had orbiting   
Mobius, he concluded that this was a natural quake, not caused by Robotnik or   
his machines, and that Robotnik was suffering from the quake as well. His   
SWATbot-manufacturing plant had gone off-line, as had his Combot-manufacturing   
plant. His control center computer had been going on and off since its   
power-source and mainframe had been disrupted by the quake.  
Uncle Chuck left his spy center and thought more about what could have gone   
wrong with Rotor's deroboticization. Then he got an idea: the neural-override   
chip could somehow be disrupting the process.  
"Rotor, do you still have the neural-override chip on your person?"  
"Yessir," said Rotor, "I do."  
"Take it off and I'll try to deroboticize you again," said Uncle Chuck. "The   
chip could be disrupting the process."  
Rotor removed the neural-override chip and told Uncle Chuck to try again. Uncle   
Chuck reactivated the deroboticizer and, again, the room was flooded with blue   
light. But this time, when the light cleared, Rotor was no longer a robot.  
"Woo-hoo!" yelled Rotor.  
  
**********  
  
Great Forest Boundary…  
"Sally!" screamed Sonic.  
"Sonic…" gasped Sally. "Help me, please."  
Caero and Bunnie were trying to pull the tree off of Antoine's leg before he was   
pulled into a crevice caused by the tree's fall.  
Sonic wasted no time in trying to rescue Sally. He used such speed that as he   
ran vertically up the side of a tree, gravity could not pull him down. Sonic   
jumped onto a branch and snapped a piece of a vine off of the tree. Sonic ran   
back down the side of the tree to meet Sally again.  
"Sonic…" gasped Sally, "I can't hold on much longer!"  
Sonic tossed one end of the vine down the crevice and told Sally to grab onto   
it. Sally did this and Sonic slowly pulled Sally up, and when she reached the   
top of the crevice, Sonic grabbed her and lifted her out. Sonic set Sally back   
on the ground.  
At this point, Antoine had been pulled out from under the tree. About half a   
minute later, the ground stopped shaking.  
Sonic walked toward Robotropolis, and saw that the SWATbots, or at least the   
majority of them, had been destroyed in the quake. Sonic said so, and told   
everyone that they could now enter Robotropolis.  
Sally walked toward Sonic, but he sped off into Robotropolis. Bunnie, Antoine,   
and Caero followed. Sally then followed as well.  
  
**********  
  
Uncle Chuck's Hideaway, Robotropolis…  
"Chuck, I'm going to head back to Knothole to meet up with my friends," said   
Rotor.  
"Okay, Rotor," said Uncle Chuck, "that's a good idea."  
Uncle Chuck pressed a button and the door to his hideaway opened. Rotor headed   
out into Robotropolis, seeing the destruction caused by the quake. Metal was   
scattered everywhere, and some towers had even toppled over.  
After about a minute of walking, Rotor met up with Bunnie, Antoine, and Sally.   
He saw Caero, and asked who he was.  
Caero responded, "My name is Caero, and I'm a friend of Sonic's."  
Rotor asked, "Where's Sonic?"  
"Sugah-hog's up ahead, as usual!" replied Bunnie.  
Antoine asked Rotor, "So, what happened to ya anyway?"  
Sally said, "He can tell us later. Right now, lets make like Sonic and head for   
Robotropolis."  
Sally, Caero, Bunnie, and Antoine headed for Robotropolis. Rotor followed them.  
  
**********  
  
Later, in the Main Structure…  
Sonic stood in the Main Structure, tapping his foot impatiently, waiting for his   
friends.  
Eventually, Sally, Bunnie, Antoine, and Caero entered. Then, Rotor enters   
behind them.  
"Hey, Rote!" said Sonic. "Nice of you to join us! Now, let's go!"  
The six fighters headed through the corridors in search of a seventh fighter.   
The lights fade on and off as an effect of the quake.  
  
**********  
  
Robotropolis Control Center, Main Structure…  
Robotnik sat in his control chair, and Snively stood by. Robotnik, frustrated,   
tried to get his systems and robot-manufacturing plants back up and running,   
unsuccessful for the most part.  
"Snively, we're running low on SWATbots, since the manufacturing plants are down   
and many were destroyed in the quake," said Robotnik, with the back of his chair   
to Snively, "so go to the manufacturing plant and see if you can repair the   
damage from there. My system's connection to the manufacturing plant is still   
broken."  
"Yessir," responded Snively, who left the control center.  
"This is so frustrating," said Robotnik to himself, "that my camera system's   
connection to my control center is broken. If the princess, or any of the other   
Mobians that escaped, are here, there'll be no way for me to know, and not   
enough robots to sent against them."  
Robotnik went back to working on his system.  
  
**********  
  
Main Structure, Robotropolis…  
Sally observed, "There sure is a lack of robots around here."  
"Maybe the production of robots has been stopped because of the quake," said   
Rotor.  
"And a lot of the robots were destroyed in the quake," added Bunnie.  
"I sure hope that Tails didn't get destroyed!" said Sonic.  
The six continued down the corridor until they reached a reactor. Upon closer   
inspection, Sonic saw that, instead of mechanics, Tails "the MileBot" was inside   
the reactor, visible through the glass, providing energy.  
"Oh my gosh," gasped Bunnie as she saw Tails, "Robotnik said Tails was gonna be   
used for defense."  
"Well, Robotnik eesn't one to be usually trusted," commented Antoine.  
"No wonder we haven't seen him around on patrol lately," said Sally.  
"I'll free him," said Rotor, who took out a wrench and swung it at the glass.   
The glass shattered and Tails fell to the ground. Sonic quickly pulled out his   
deroboticizer and activated it. Tails was surrounded with a blue glow, and then   
he was Tails, the fox, and was no longer robotic. Tails tried to get up, but   
having wasted almost all of his energy powering the reactor, fell back to the   
ground, too weak to get up.  
"I'll carry him," said Sonic. Sonic lifted Tails onto his back and Tails   
clinged to Sonic with all his remaining strength, which wasn't much.  
Sonic and Tails, Sally, Bunnie, Rotor, Antoine, and Caero walked out of the   
now-deserted Robotropolis, together and united.  
  
**********  
  
Later…  
The band of fighters now approached the fallen tree.  
"It's too thick for me to spin through," said Sonic.  
"I can handle this one," said Rotor, who took out a bomb and threw it at the   
center of the massive tree trunk. The bomb exploded, and blew a path through   
the trunk. Rotor went through, and the rest of the warriors followed.  
  
**********  
  
Control Center, Robotropolis m  
Robotnik turned his chair around, and walked over to the balcony adjacent to the   
Control Center. He saw the Freedom Fighters, and then saw that Sonic was with   
them, and that he had Tails (and that he was deroboticized), and that Rotor was   
no longer a robot.  
"Why, that blasted hedgehog!" yelled Robotnik. "But I have a much larger scheme   
just waiting, and this time the rodent and his band of rabble rousers will not   
escape! This plan is much bigger than only Knothole! Much larger!"  
Robotnik cackled, and his laugh echoed throughout Robotropolis.  
  
**********  
  
Sonic's hut, Knothole…  
Sonic lay on his bed, relaxing after all that had happened since that first   
mission in which he was fried and almost frozen, but saved by his newfound   
friend.  
Sally walked into Sonic's hut.  
"Sonic, you here?"  
"Yeah, Sal."  
Sonic rose into a sitting position and then got out of his bed and stood up.  
"I just wanted to thank you," said Sally, "for saving my life today."  
"No problem, Sal," said Sonic, "you're a fellow Freedom Fighter and…" Sonic   
stopped.  
"And what?"  
"Nothing," said Sonic, hiding his feelings.  
"Well," said Sally, "thanks again for saving my life!"  
Sally kissed Sonic on the cheek, and left his hut.  
And the first volume of the epic adventure ended.  
What is Robotnik's massive plan?  
Will Caero continue to fight with Sonic, or return to his clan?  
Will the Tarahassas Freedom Fighters be able to help in the war against   
Robotnik?  
  
This and much, much more in Volume II - "The War Begins[4]"  
  
*The End (of the BEGINNING)*  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
[1] Turned into a robot programmed to obey Robotnik  
[2] Overlanders are humans, except having four fingers instead of five.  
[3] Uncle Chuck placed the chip on Rotor during the delay after Uncle Chuck   
grabbed Rotor.  
[4] Tentative title  



End file.
